As Riverwood Healthcare Center prepares for its new clinic expansion construction project in Aitkin, the Healing Garden adjacent to the hospital will close temporarily.
There is a need to construct a retaining wall along the garden to allow for clinic expansion and parking spaces on the north side of the hospital. Given that heavy machinery will need to operate in the garden area, all memorial bricks are being removed from the walkway as well as some trees and benches. Maintenance of the garden—plantings, weeding and watering—has been discontinued and will resume when the expansion project is completed. To address growing needs for local kidney care, specialty medical care and primary care, Riverwood’s Aitkin clinic will be expanded and redesigned from July 2017 through 2018. The project includes a new location for rehabilitation to make room for a kidney care and a kidney dialysis unit, expansion of the specialty clinic to allow more space for orthopaedics and other services, and a redesign of the primary clinic care space to support a team approach to patient care.
The annual Healing Garden memorial ceremony that is typically held in June has been postponed until July. All those who have given memorial gifts to the garden in the last year will be honored at a July 17 clinic expansion ground breaking ceremony at Riverwood Healthcare Center.
“We’ve put a lot of thought into planning for this transition for the Healing Garden and we greatly appreciate the gifts from all those who have given so generously to make it the beautiful reflection spot that it has become,” said Katie Nelson, Riverwood Foundation director. “The garden will re-open with all memorial items put back into place when the clinic expansion work is completed a year or so from now. We remain committed to maintaining this beautiful space for reflection and healing well into the future.”
Memorial bricks may continue to be purchased from Riverwood Foundation but will not be placed in the garden for the duration of the clinic expansion project. Anyone with questions or concerns about the Healing Garden temporary closure should contact the Foundation staff at (218) 927-5158.
