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Memorial Forest welcomes unique addition of wind phone to site

Community members are invited to use it to share messages and feel a sense of connection with those who have passed away
Niagara-on-the-Lake Local Staff
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A wind phone built and generously donated by Ray and Judy Fortier has been installed at the Memorial Forest, located in a wooden box beside the pavilion. Community members are invited to use it to share messages and feel a sense of connection with those who have passed away.Image supplied by Niagara Region

NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGION PUBLIC HEALTH
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Since its inception in 2009, the Memorial Forest has served as a place for reflection, remembrance, and to find solace in nature. Located within the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site in St. Catharines, this tranquil space is open year-round, providing a space for visitors to honour loved ones lost to mental illness and promotes understanding, compassion, and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.

This year, the Memorial Forest welcomes a unique addition: the wind phone. The first 'phone of the wind' was created by Sasaki Itaru in Japan, who installed a disconnected phone in his yard to connect with his lost loved one while grieving. This concept has blossomed into a global movement, with over 100 wind phones now scattered around the world. A wind phone built and generously donated by Ray and Judy Fortier has been installed at the Memorial Forest, located in a wooden box beside the pavilion. Community members are invited to use it to share messages and feel a sense of connection with those who have passed away.

The Memorial Forest also features an inscribed stone and plaques dedicated to individuals who struggled with mental health challenges, standing as symbols of hope and understanding within this natural setting.

Every October, during Mental Illness Awareness Week, Niagara Region Public Health hosts a vigil at the Memorial Forest to honour those lost to mental illness. This year's vigil took place on October 10, where attendees took time to reflect, remember, and feel supported by other members of the community. For those who were unable to attend the vigil, a recording is available.  

The Memorial Forest is located just a five-to-ten-minute walk along the stone path from the Glenridge Quarry parking lot. Community members are welcome to visit it year-round to find respite in this peaceful forest.

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