The courtyard at GEF Strathcona Place has become a bright, welcoming space thanks to a series of upgrades over the past few years. New benches, picnic tables with umbrellas, swing chairs, fresh sod, and rebuilt flower beds have all enhanced the landscape. For the 228 seniors who live in the nine-storey building, the courtyard is now a favourite spot to visit with neighbours, enjoy fresh air, and build friendships.
These improvements go beyond repairs – they create a space that supports well-being and community. With funding from the Government of Alberta, and as one of several buildings owned by the Alberta Social Housing Corporation, the refreshed courtyard adds lasting value while enriching seniors’ daily lives.
“More people are participating and gathering outside now. A group of us come out here in the evenings and chat. One night someone even brought out an accordion and played music and we started dancing.”
– Laurie N., Strathcona Place
“When seniors have a beautiful, safe environment to gather, it encourages social connection, physical activity, and a sense of belonging, which are all vital to quality of life. Our Facilities team takes great pride in knowing that the work we do directly impacts people’s daily experiences. My hope is that every improvement we make helps clients feel at home and reinforces that they are valued members of the GEF community.”
The infrastructure upgrades also inspired tenants to take on a creative project of their own: repainting the courtyard pond. Brenda, a tenant known for her love of painting, imagined turning the pond into a colourful mural featuring a mermaid, octopus, dolphins, a turtle, and fish.
“I wanted the pond to be colourful…beautiful from all angles of the building whether you were looking at it from the side, or from the top.”
– Brenda B., Strathcona Place
Teamwork in Action
Brenda started the outlines, and soon others joined in. The Housekeeping department even pitched in on breaks.
“It was nice to get to know the tenants one on one in this way. I’d never painted before and found it to be relaxing. Other tenants would bring us coffee and snacks, and visit with us while we worked on the pond. I’m happy that I could help out where I could.”
– Sami H., Housekeeping Aide, Strathcona Place
“I love how a lot of people who didn’t think they had the painting talent, joined the project and found it to be fun and therapeutic! I saw how the project brought them joy, and that brought me joy!”
— Brenda B., Strathcona Place
Six more neighbours picked up brushes, and soon the pond project was full of laughter and storytelling.
“I loved working on the pond with Brenda and everyone involved. We shared so many laughs and funny stories. In fact, the pond’s name is ‘Henrietta (the mermaid) and the Mystical Storytellers’ after the many stories we all shared while working on it together.”
– Linda S., Strathcona Place
Pride in Community
The pond now adds colour and character, but more importantly, it reflects the pride tenants feel in their home.
“This whole project, from the pond to the courtyard, is a great example of a community coming together to beautify and individualize it for the betterment of all. From one tenant diligently watering the new sod to ensure it thrives, to another tenant gardener who carefully removed and replanted the flowers and plants during the garden bed repairs – the pride of ownership at this community is remarkable.”
— Peggy Caine, Portfolio Manager, Strathcona Place
A Lasting Legacy
What began as a courtyard revitalization grew into something bigger: an opportunity for tenants and staff to create something meaningful together.
Thank you to everyone who helped bring this project to life. Whether it’s lending a hand, sharing your skills, or just joining in, get involved in your own community! You never know what lasting memories and legacies you might help create.
Spring brought more than just warmer weather to GEF – it brought colour, connection, and the return of Planting Days! From May 14 to June 6, our third annual Planting Days campaign bloomed across communities, with residents and tenants coming together with over 150 corporate partners and volunteers to bring fresh life to the outdoor spaces our seniors call home.
Ford Credit at Brittania Gardens.Royal Caretaking Supplies at Cathedral Close.Source Office Furniture at Londonderry Village.RBC at Mountwood.AMRE Supply at Ansgar Villa.
Our residents and tenants joined in however they could, some pulling on gloves to help, and others cheering everyone on from the benches. For those with limited mobility, just being outside and chatting with the volunteers brought joy and laughter.
Community Partners Make It Happen
This year we welcomed 21 corporate partners, who brought teams ranging from one person to groups of 11. Many gave their time to more than one site, and they all brought their energy and enthusiasm, rain or shine. Together, they helped plant, dig, weed, and transform garden beds across 25 GEF communities.
A sincere thank you to TELSCO Security Systems, Ford Credit, Telus, Old Navy, Centennial Food Solutions, Source Office Furniture,PCL Construction, Royal Caretaking Supplies, Simmons Canada, ServiceMaster Restore of Edmonton, SYSCO Canada, Ecopest, AMRE Supply, Boilermaker’s Lodge 146, Telecon, Park Landscaping, Bell Mobility, and RBC! Your kindness, teamwork, and community spirit were felt and appreciated.
Some of our partners lent their support to the campaign in other impactful ways.
Supreme Landscaping donated topsoil to refresh the raised planter boxes at Trinity Hall.
Budget Printing provided signage to help us recognize and thank all the amazing volunteers at each site.
Everyone’s contributions helped to support our goal of creating spaces that are not only beautiful, but welcoming and accessible for residents and tenants.
An On-Air Shout Out
We were also delighted to welcome CTV Edmonton meteorologist, Josh Classen to Westlawn Court. Josh got his green thumbs dirty, planting alongside volunteers and tenants and kindly gave GEF a shout out during the evening weather report. His visit brought extra excitement to the day.
Cultivating Connections
Planting Days are about more than just flowers and gardens, they are about cultivating connections between volunteers, residents and tenants as well as neighbours and friends. After each planting event, teams and seniors shared lunch together, swapping stories, smiles, and a sense of pride in a job well done.
SYSCO Canada at Sakaw Terrace.Centennial Food Solutions at Ottewell Manor and Ottewell Terrace.TELUS at Montgomery Place.TELSCO Security Systems at Rosslyn Place Lodge and Westlawn Court.PCL Construction at Strathcona Place.
Help Keep the Gardens Growing
Planting Days continue! We need volunteers to help maintain, water, and care for the gardens throughout the summer. Whether you’re an individual, a team, or someone who just loves to spend time outdoors, we’d love to have you join us. If you were unable to take part in Planting Days, you can still make a meaningful impact! A donation to our Quality of Life Fund helps keep our communities vibrant and in bloom.
Community volunteers at McQueen Place Lodge.
🌻 Click here to VOLUNTEER with us! 💚 Click hereto DONATE to our Quality of Life Fund!
Together, we’ve planted more than flowers! We’ve planted happy memories, friendship, community, and care across our GEF communities. Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible!
🎥 Clickhere to watch heartwarming highlights from the events!
