Report of the President of the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary Society – Marylou Kirstein

April 2010

Easter has come and gone, the Easter candies are eaten, the gardens are barren of hidden eggs, but may still have a bunny or two enjoying the fresh sprouts of spring. This leaves you wondering what is next?  

Two weeks before Queen Victoria’s birthday, moms of the lower mainland are eagerly awaiting the one day opening of the Glades on 172^nd Street.  Just to connect this event with Peace Arch Hospital, you should know that another 800 babies have been born at our hospital since the last Mothers’ Day Tour of the Glades. 

You should also know that the $5.3 million renovation of our maternity ward is well underway, with phase 1 being completed in July and phase 2 being completed in November 2010. At the end of this project, to which the Auxiliary has donated $1 million, there will be 8 new birthing units available, where baby will enter the world and stay in the same private room with mom until departure from the hospital. 

As I wrote last year, the Glades Tour is a quiet walk in one of the most beautiful gardens of South Surrey. Since 1997, the Glades, which occupies 5 acres at 561 - 172^nd Street, has only opened its doors to the public on Mother’s Day. Peaceful calming gardens, a reflecting pond, amazing azaleas and 30 foot tall rhododendrons, not to mention the vast variety of trees, and the occasional glimpse of an owl or a squirrel, all sights and sounds are yours for a $6 entrance fee.  

Glades’ residents Jim and Elfriede DeWolf are excited about the new additions to the Glades, including a Zen garden and the new bamboo grove, where there are 85 plants, some of which are 35 feet tall. As the only true bamboo garden in the lower mainland, this will generate great interest in gardening circles. 

You will enjoy a sense of peace as you stroll along the multitude of paths, as you enjoy the quiet ponds and artistic settings. You will relax on a quiet bench, and capture the look and sounds to store in your memory bank to escape from some future hectic day.   

Mom’s of all ages will enjoy this outing, especially if it is a family outing in lieu of a golf game (hint to the dads...Father’s Day is not until June, and you too will enjoy these gardens). 

From 1997 to 2009 the Auxiliary has had over 10,000 people visit the DeWolf’s property, raising over $122,000.  We thank Jim and Elfriede Dewolf for allowing us and our guests to explore their property on Mothers’ Day.

We hope to see you there, on May 9 from 9am to 4pm. Pause to say thanks to Jim and Elfriede for their enormous contribution to Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary, to the residents of our area, and for their donation of their property to the City of Surrey, to the benefit of babies and future babies delivered at Peace Arch Hospital.