Embedded Files
Aberdeen Hospital Alumni Archives project 2025 "A legacy of Caring"
Photo caption: 3D Rendering of the proposed Echoes of Healing Commemorative Garden, honouring the legacy of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing.
News Release
News Release
Healing Garden Nears Fundraising Goal at Aberdeen Hospital
Healing Garden Nears Fundraising Goal at Aberdeen Hospital
A tribute to the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing and a lasting space for reflection and renewal
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, July 23, 2025 – A new healing garden set to open this September on the grounds of Aberdeen Hospital is one step closer to reality, thanks to a wave of support from alumni, donors, and community partners.
The Echoes of Healing Commemorative Garden will offer patients, staff, and visitors a peaceful space for respite and reflection, while also honouring the legacy of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing. Located on the former site of the school, the garden project coincides with the 30th anniversary of its closure.
So far, $104,000 has been raised toward the project’s $121,645 goal, with major contributions from the Aberdeen Health Foundation, Aberdeen Alumni, and a number of municipal, provincial and federal grants. Now, the Aberdeen Hospital Archives Society is inviting the wider community to help bring the project across the finish line.
“In my experience, there has been an overwhelmingly positive response to this project,” says committee member and fundraiser Barbara Young. “Everywhere we turn, people are telling us this is a wonderful idea. Alumni are especially grateful the school is not being forgotten and that a garden is how we’ve chosen to mark its place in our history.”
The garden will feature a commemorative stone installation and lush vegetation, creating a space of calm and comfort for all who pass through. A gift toward the garden’s greenery would help complete the vision and provide long-lasting beauty to the hospital grounds.
“This positive feedback has reassured us that taking on this project was the right decision,” adds Young. “There are so many folks who say they can hardly wait for the end result, including our team.”
The project team is offering suggested donor recognition levels, including:
$1,000 – Friend of the Garden
$2,500 – Supporter of the Garden
$5,000 – Leader of the Way
How to Support the Project
Community members who wish to contribute can support the Echoes of Healing Garden in the following ways:
Online via CanadaHelps: Visit CanadaHelps.org/en/explore/fundraisers and search ‘Echoes of Healing – Memorial Healing Garden Aberdeen Hospital’
E-transfer: Send to AberdeenArchives1897@gmail.com
Cheque: Make payable to Aberdeen Hospital Auxiliary and mail to:
Aberdeen Hospital Archives Society
c/o Barbara Young
PO Box 1582
Stellarton, NS
B0K 1S0
Quick Facts About the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing:
· In November 1895, an appeal was sent to residents of New Glasgow, Stellarton, Westville, Trenton, and across Pictou County, highlighting the urgent need for a general hospital and a contagious disease annex. In response, the people of Pictou County came together to establish the Aberdeen Hospital and Nursing School.
· The Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing opened in 1897 and operated for 98 years before closing in 1995, serving as a vital training institution for the Pictou County community.
· It was the fourth of 25 nursing schools established in Nova Scotia.
· A total of 1,889 students graduated from the school, including 26 from the Radiology Program, 36 from the Laboratory Program, and 1,837 from the Nursing Program.
· In 2025, the school will mark the 30th anniversary of its closure.
· The Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing archives are housed in the basement of Aberdeen Hospital. Aberdeen Hospital and Victoria General Hospital are the only two facilities in the province with permanent onsite nursing school archives.
· Since 2015, the Archives has been working on a digitization project to preserve and catalogue all artifacts.
Media Contact
Kim Chisholm
Aberdeen Hospital Archives Society
AHSON.archives@gmail.com
Newspaper Article
Newspaper Article
Shovel turns to create nursing school garden
https://www.pictouadvocate.com/community/shovel-turns-to-create-nursing-school-garden/article_625b07fe-0b08-4a77-922f-8ef7a4776c4c.htmlShovel turns to create nursing school garden
Steve Goodwin, March 26. 2025
From left: Nursing archives society members Barb Young and Bev Sutherland stand with Marcus English with a schematic of the commemorative garden.
Press Release
Press Release
Photo caption: 3D Rendering of the proposed Echoes of Healing Commemorative Garden, honouring the legacy of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing. Announced at the sod-turning ceremony on March 21, 2025, former student and committee member Cathy Gibson and her family donated $5,000 in honour of past graduates, while the Aberdeen Health Foundation committed $50,000. The project is now halfway to its $100,000 goal and set to open on September 4, 2025.
News Release
Groundbreaking Ceremony Celebrates the Echoes of Healing Commemorative Garden at Aberdeen Hospital
A tribute to the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing and a lasting space for reflection and renewal
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, March 21, 2025 – The Aberdeen Hospital Archives Society, in partnership with the Aberdeen Hospital Auxiliary and Nursing History Nova Scotia, is proud to announce the creation of the Echoes of Healing Commemorative Garden. This project honours the incredible legacies of the Aberdeen Hospital Schools of Nursing, Radiology and Laboratory Technology and their graduates while creating a peaceful space at Aberdeen Hospital.
Alumni of the nursing school are coming together to recognize the school’s long-standing impact on healthcare in Pictou County. Established in 1897, the school trained generations of nurses, radiology, and laboratory professionals before its closure in 1995. This year marks 30 years since that closure, yet no visible tribute exists to commemorate its history. The Archives Committee is changing that by creating something more meaningful than a plaque - a garden that embodies the spirit of care, healing, and renewal.
“A garden is a perfect symbol of the compassion and dedication at the heart of nursing,” says Andrea Robertson, Aberdeen Hospital Archives Convenor and long-time volunteer. “It honours the past while offering a place of peace for those who work, volunteer, visit, or receive care at Aberdeen Hospital.”
The project has already seen incredible community support, with two major donations announced at the sod-turning ceremony on March 21, 2025.
Former student and committee member Cathy Gibson, alongside her family, shared their $5,000 donation in honour of family members who attended the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing between 1923 and 1977. “I strongly believe in this project, as it honours our school and continues our legacy of caring in the Pictou County community,” said Gibson at the event.
The Aberdeen Health Foundation also stepped forward with a $50,000 commitment to help bring the vision to life. “This project reflects the deep connection between the hospital, its caregivers, and the community,” says Lisa MacDonald, Board Chair of the Aberdeen Health Foundation. “Our hope is for the garden to not only honour the history of the School of Nursing, but also to create a space that will provide comfort and reflection for future generations.”
With these generous gifts, the project is now halfway toward its $100,000 fundraising goal.
A Tribute to Generations of Nursing Excellence
The garden will be located at the former site of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing and will feature a commemorative stone installation as a permanent tribute to the school and its graduates. Recognizing that health care experiences can be stressful, the space will offer an area for contemplation and respite, welcoming all who walk through Aberdeen Hospital’s doors.
The Echoes of Healing Garden will officially open on September 4, 2025, with a special unveiling ceremony.
How to Support the Project
Community members who wish to contribute can donate online through CanadaHelps or by cheque made payable to the Aberdeen Hospital Auxiliary at:
Aberdeen Hospital Archives
c/o Barbara Young
PO Box 1582, Stellarton, NS
B0K 1S0
Quick Facts About the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing
· In November 1895, an appeal was sent to residents of New Glasgow, Stellarton, Westville, Trenton, and across Pictou County, highlighting the urgent need for a general hospital and a contagious disease annex. In response, the people of Pictou County came together to establish the Aberdeen Hospital and Nursing School.
· The Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing opened in 1897 and operated for 98 years before closing in 1995, serving as a vital training institution for the Pictou County community.
· It was the fourth of 25 nursing schools established in Nova Scotia.
· A total of 1,889 students graduated from the school, including 26 from the Radiology Program, 36 from the Laboratory Program, and 1,837 from the Nursing Program.
· In 2025, the school will mark the 30th anniversary of its closure.
· The Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing archives are housed in the basement of Aberdeen Hospital. Aberdeen Hospital and Victoria General Hospital are the only two facilities in the province with permanent onsite nursing school archives.
· Since 2015, the Archives has been working on a digitization project to preserve and catalogue all artifacts.
Media Contact
Kim Chisholm
Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing Archives
AHSON.archives@gmail.com
News release
News release
Care for one...that's love. Care for hundreds...that's nursing - Aberdeen Hospital Alumni plan art installation to honour a legacy of caring
Care for one...that's love. Care for hundreds...that's nursing - Aberdeen Hospital Alumni plan art installation to honour a legacy of caring
April 8th, 2024
New Glasgow, NS – Alumni of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing are seeking public proposals for an art installation that will honour the history and the legacy of caring of the former nursing school. The Alumni includes Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing (1897-1995), School of Radiology (1929-1966) and School of Laboratory Technology (1960-1972).
Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing alumni and archivists are commissioning the art installation to celebrate the school’s 98-year history. The legacy project is spearheaded by the Alumni Archive Committee in partnership with the Aberdeen Hospital Auxiliary, Aberdeen Hospital, Nova Scotia Health and Nursing History Nova Scotia Society.
The original work of art will be installed next year at the former site of the nursing school residence on the grounds of the Aberdeen Hospital on East River Road in New Glasgow. It will tell the rich story of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing set against the historical context that shaped the lives and times of its graduates. The installation will also be a place of respite and reflection for patients and staff of the Aberdeen Hospital, Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing alumni and descendants, and the community.
Artists and/or artist teams with established public art creation and installation experience are invited to submit a proposal for a site-specific, permanent outdoor art installation.
More information about the request for proposals can be found at
or by contacting the Archivists at – AHSON.archives@gmail.com
For more information about the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing, follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AHSN.alumni
MEDIA CONTACT
Kim Chisholm, AHSON, AHSON.archives@gmail.com
QUICK FACTS about the Aberdeen School of Nursing:
· The Pictou County community came together to build the Aberdeen Hospital and Nursing School. In November 1895 an appeal was sent out to the people of New Glasgow, Stellarton, Westville, Trenton and Pictou County outlining the urgent need of a general hospital and a contagious disease annex.
· Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing opened in 1897 and closed in 1995, providing 98 years of education and service to the Pictou County community.
· Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing the fourth of 25 established schools in Nova Scotia.
· Total number of graduates was 1889: 26 graduated from the Radiology Program, 36 graduated from the Laboratory Program and 1837 graduated from the Nursing Program.
· 2025 is the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing.
· The Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing archives are located in the basement of the Aberdeen Hospital.
· The Aberdeen Hospital and the Victoria General Hospital are the only permanent onsite nursing school archives in the province.
· Since 2015 the Archives has been engaged in a digitization project to preserve and database all artifacts.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse