The garden of remembrance at the False Bay Hospital has been beautified by the Fish Hoek Lions Club.
The garden is at the hospital’s main entrance.
According to Dr Wendy Waddington, False Bay Hospital’s manager for medical service, the wall in the garden, which reflects the names of former hospital staff, was built many years ago after a resident in the hospital’s nurses home died under tragic circumstances.
Lions president Sue Kinnell said they wanted to create an inviting space for people to enjoy while waiting at the hospital or for the families of former staff to remember their loved ones.
The beautification of the garden during September and October involved cutting back the large pine tree in the garden, cleaning up, landscaping and planting new plants and painting the bench under the tree.
This was done with the help of Dee Hart, from Hartscapes, who provided free labour for a day and assisted with the landscaping ideas.
“We could not have done it without her help,” said Ms Kinnell.
Ms Kinnell said the Lions Club will maintain the garden on an ongoing basis and its next step is to put up a latte fence behind the bench to shield it from the wind.
Besides the wall of remembrance, a plaque in memory of Kevin Price was put up in the garden by his family.
Mr Price died in a car crash while on duty in August 2011. He was the chairperson of the False Bay Volunteers Emergency Medical Service in 2006 and an advanced life support paramedic.
His mother, Patricia Price, who is a volunteer at False Bay Hospital, says it gives her great comfort to sit in the garden.
“It is such a sentimental place for me, and I am so grateful to the Lions Club for maintaining the space,” she said.
For more information about the project or if you would like to donate plants, call Ms Kinnell at 072 212 0277 or contact them through the Lions Club Fish Hoek Facebook page.
