Newfoundlanders call it simply “away” — anywhere
in the world that isn’t their beloved home province.
And most Newfoundlanders “away” hope sooner or
later to return.
Doreen Bennink, executive director of the new
Kenny’s Pond seniors’ residence in St. John’s,
is coming home after 37 years of working in
nursing and senior care in Ontario and elsewhere
across Canada.
She called herself “blessed” to have been in on
the Kenny’s Pond project right from the beginning
and to help shape it to fit the cultural needs of
Newfoundlanders.
“You couldn’t build the same building here as in,
say, Calgary,” Doreen says. “It had to be designed
in a way that reflects Newfoundland and brings
everything from the typical colours to the culture
into the building.”
The local flavour extends to the types of activities
available to the seniors who will occupy the 112
suites. They include carpentry and horticulture.
“The woodworking shop is quite unusual for a
seniors’ residence,” Doreen says. “But many of
the men here have built their own homes or have
been shipbuilders. It’s a common thing for men to
be working with wood. So they can bring in their
tools and sit there and make little boats or toys
or whatever.
“Most people here, too, have grown vegetables
and flowers. Flowers are a big thing in people’s
windows. You look at the row houses and at all the
African violets and geraniums in the windows. So
that’s another part of our heritage we planned into
the building.”
Even the location is an important feature of
St. John’s. Kenny’s Pond is part of the Grand
Concourse, an integrated walkway system with
120 kilometres of paths linking parks, rivers and
seven ponds.
“Kenny’s Pond is one of them,” Doreen says. “To
be on this pond is quite something. It means that
our building has a perfectly level walking track
for residents. That’s an important part of our
fitness program.”
The fitness centre will offer yoga and Tai Chi
classes and workout equipment that Doreen
describes as “joint-sensitive.”
The residence also caters to the mind, she says.
There’s a movie theatre—with an old-fashioned
popcorn machine—that will double as a lecture hall.
“A lot of our clientele have been professionals,”
she says. “They’re very into seminars, politics, the
fishing industry, you name it.”
Some other senior staff members are also
transplanted Newfoundlanders now returning
home. And Doreen says she’s getting lots of calls
from senior citizens “who are ‘away’ and now want
to come back.
“This place is one-of-a-kind. This is huge for me
to be returning home and to bring this here.”
Featured Articles
