I’ve lived all over Canada because of my Air Force upbringing, so it’s difficult for me to pick a favourite place, but I find in Gairloch Gardens in Oakville, Ont., a little bit of all the places I love the most, whether it’s the Shuswap lakes in British Columbia or Sylvan Lake, outside Red Deer, Alta.
It’s on Lake Ontario, which looks like an ocean and reminds me of my parents and Cape Breton. There’s a pathway in the park that reminds me of Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park, where I had my honeymoon. There’s a rose garden that reminds me of my mom. The land was first purchased by a Col. William Mackendrick in 1922, the year of my dad’s birth, then by James Gairdner in 1960, the year I was born, so there are all these crazy little connections.
At least three times a week, I’ll go for a run through the park and look at the different plants and animals in season. My favourite time of year is when I see the first rosebud bloom, usually around the middle of June. That’s when you can really smell the earth, and the baby geese are running around. I run just about every day in that window to ensure I see the first rose.
They actually have a slogan for the park: “A place with room for thought.” I’m not one to meditate, but in my own funny way that’s where I go to stare out at Lake Ontario and just experience a little gratitude.