For decades this integrated summer program has provided an oasis for inclusive play for children and youth with disabilities
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is thrilled to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its Spiral Garden program, marking four decades of innovation in inclusive art, play, and music for children with and without disabilities.
The Daphne Cockwell Spiral Garden is Holland Bloorview’s outdoor integrated art, garden, music and play program developed in 1984 by a special education teacher and an early childhood educator, alongside three working artists. The garden was designed to be an accessible, inclusive and integrative space for children and youth from the hospital and surrounding neighborhood to engage in a variety of artistic activities including painting, clay modeling, woodworking, music, gardening and much more.
“The garden offers a retreat and respite from the busyness of school and hospitalization, a place for relaxation and reinvigoration where people are welcomed to come-as-they-are in a rich community of people, plants and animals,” says Shannon Crossman, artist and program coordinator for Spiral Garden for 30 years.
Robyn Sanford, operations manager, inclusion programs, expresses her pride in the program's achievements.
"I am thrilled to work with the extremely talented Spiral Garden staff. Together with the generous help of our volunteers, the ability to create opportunities for children and youth to experience life-enhancing programming in the backyard of the hospital is truly rewarding. It requires creative approaches to manage the tasks and challenges of such an intricately unique service, combining medical care with rich music, art and gardening programming.”
A collection of experiences and reflections from families demonstrate the impact that Spiral Garden has had over the years.
“My son had a safe, positive and caring experience at camp. He is named after his great grandfather, who founded the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy […] If my son’s great-grandfather were alive today, he would be so happy to see the care and inclusion my son experiences at Holland Bloorview. Thank you to your whole staff for being a critical part of my son’s healing.” – Michelle P.
“Nathanial has been a Spiral Garden camper for over 10 years on and off. There’s always a little magic in the garden – you have to come and see it for yourself. There’s always something to do that everyone enjoys together. Clay and woodworking are my brother’s two favourites this year.” – Malakhai T.
"I wished for years to see my daughter to get into the mud, to play and to get wet. This was a dream for me. It’s all happening here […] When we’re done here, Lilly is so calm, she’s so happy. The rest of the day is also different from the normal day. She uses so much of her energy here in a good way.” – Narges K.
"I remember vividly using the clay station, painting, and doing artwork. I was a shy kid, so being at Spiral Garden allowed me to make friends who liked the same things as me. I enjoyed coming every day because I started feeling a lot more confident and social.” – Simone K.
“As a former client, I recall spending some time in the Spiral Garden space. I can say now as a parent, I LOVE that my kiddo gets to go every summer. He goes to a variety of camps and this is their top fave, two years in a row. It’s a magical and wonderful space and we are grateful to add it to the roster of summer camp experiences.” – Alison H.
As we celebrate Spiral Garden’s 40th anniversary and look to the future, we remain committed to nurturing creativity and inclusion by ensuring that every child and youth, regardless of ability, experiences the joy and empowerment of this magical space.
To learn more about the Spiral Garden program click here.
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