Thorndale garden full of pride and memories

The sky may have held off on the wet weather a bit, but there were very few dry eyes in the crowd at Thorndale Elementary School in Pierrefonds last Friday afternoon.

Students, teachers, staff, and parents celebrated the last day of the school year by unveiling their new garden, featuring a special spot in memory of Maggie Harvey, a Thorndale French teacher who died of breast cancer earlier this year.

“She was tremendously loved,” said Thorndale principal Michelle Potter as she wiped tears from her eyes. “The kids loved her and the staff loved her.”

A number of other people at the ceremony were left teary-eyed as Harvey’s husband, Claude, and their two children unveiled a plaque in her memory, surrounded by pink geraniums planted in the shape of the breast cancer ribbon and a magnolia tree.

A Home and School initiative, the Thorndale Garden was built through Tree Canada’s Greening Canada’s School Grounds program. Thorndale also partnered with a number of local businesses, including their sponsor Tenaquip, who contributed $1,750 to the project, as well as Laniel Prodamex Inc. for building materials, Sylvano Turin for the excavation, and Botanix Jardnins Cleroux et Freres who helped them with the plants.

Parent volunteers, staff, and students worked on the garden all school year long to get it ready in time for last Friday.

“This particular area was a big mess,” said garden committee chair Kim Brewster-Neelin, explaining that whenever it rained, the whole area would turn into “one big mud hole.” The plants in the garden are also local or non-invasive, meaning they will not compete with each other. “Every single season, you’re going to be able to see how this garden is growing and changing.”

Thorndale’s kindergartners sang “If you really love our garden, clap your hands,” which got the crowd geared up for the ribbon cutting. The pre-kindergarten students also planted artificial flowers in the earth, and did so with big smiles.

“The garden gives the school pride, ownership, and memories,” said Potter after the ceremony. “It’s nice to have that.”

Over the summer, parent volunteers will tend to the garden to keep it in good shape for when classes resume in the fall. But on Friday, Thorndale’s students spent their last hour of the 2007-2008 school year playing and taking in their new, colourful playground.