Year: 2026

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Walk as One in Surrey: World Labyrinth Day 2026

On Saturday, May 2, you’re invited to join a quiet, meaningful community gathering at Fleetwood Park for World Labyrinth Day.

At 1:00 PM, people around the world will participate in a shared practice called “Walk as One at 1.” Across time zones, thousands will step onto labyrinth paths at the same hour—creating a global wave of reflection, presence, and intention. Here in Surrey, we will gather locally to take part in that shared moment, while grounding it in our own community context.

A Simple Path, A Shared Experience

A labyrinth is a single, continuous path that leads to the centre and back out again. There are no decisions to make, no dead ends, and no hierarchy. You follow the same path as everyone else.

That simplicity is what makes it powerful.

As you walk, there is space to slow down, notice your breath, and reflect. At the same time, you are part of something collective—moving alongside others, each at your own pace, yet sharing the same journey.

In a time when many people are carrying stress, disconnection, or uncertainty, this kind of shared, grounded experience matters.

Why This Gathering Matters Now

This event is more than a walk.

It is an invitation to:

  1. Pause in the midst of busy, demanding lives
  2. Reconnect with yourself in a calm, structured way
  3. Consider how we show up for one another in everyday life
  4. Strengthen a sense of belonging in our community

The labyrinth offers a space where there are no outsiders. Everyone enters the same path. Everyone is included.

After the walk, we will stay for conversation—an opportunity to listen, reflect, and speak honestly about how we support one another and contribute to a community where people feel seen and safe.

Acknowledgement and Community Context

World Labyrinth Day in Surrey has been formally recognized by the Mayor’s Office. This acknowledgement reflects a shared commitment to fostering respect, peace, and a sense of belonging across cultures and communities.

At the same time, the heart of this event remains simple and community-led: people coming together in a public space with intention and care.

Event Details

What: Surrey World Labyrinth Day – Walk as One at 1

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026

Time: Walk begins at 1:00 PM

Location: Fleetwood Park

What to Bring

  1. Comfortable walking shoes
  2. A bottle of water
  3. A snack if you’d like to stay and share afterward

You are welcome to come on your own or with others. No prior experience with labyrinth walking is needed.

Join Us

If this feels like something you need right now—a moment of quiet, connection, or reflection—you are welcome.

You can let us know you’re coming here:

https://facebook.com/events/1467748024896427

Registration is helpful, but not required.

Mayor Proclamation 2026

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Walking the Healing Path: The Labyrinth at BC Children’s Hospital


Arrival in the Healing Garden

I first heard about the rooftop labyrinth at BC Children’s Hospital during a retreat, and the idea stayed with me. There was something quietly compelling about the notion of a contemplative space tucked high above the city, offering patients, families, and staff a place to pause, breathe, and move in reflection.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to experience it firsthand, walking the five-circuit labyrinth on Level 5 of the Teck Acute Care Centre, nestled within the Healing Garden. At the entrance to the garden, oversized posters featuring the calligraphy of Thích Nhất Hạnh greet visitors, quietly inviting reflection and a mindful approach before even stepping onto the labyrinth path.

 

Walking the Five-Circuit Labyrinth

Arriving in the garden, I was immediately struck by its calm presence. Flowering trees and shrubs border the paths, and scattered throughout are tables, chairs, and benches. Some visitors sit quietly, lost in thought or conversation, while others tap gently at laptops, balancing work with moments of pause. In the midst of a busy Vancouver city, the garden feels like a suspended breath, a gentle counterpoint to the hum of hospital life.

Walking the five-circuit labyrinth is a gentle, steady experience. Each turn draws attention inward, encouraging a rhythm that aligns with both reflection and release. The labyrinth’s design is approachable—its circuits neither overwhelming nor too brief—making it accessible to people with varying mobility or energy. As I traced the path with my steps, I became aware of the quiet interactions unfolding around me: someone pausing at a bench, another bending to admire a flower, a soft conversation drifting across the garden. Here, stillness and motion coexist; the labyrinth is both a personal journey and a shared, communal presence.

 

Hospital Labyrinths in Context

I found myself wondering whether this hospital labyrinth might be the first of its kind in British Columbia—or even in Canada. A little research revealed that it is not. Two permanent, outdoor, medieval-style labyrinths were installed on the grounds of West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni, BC, with the support of the Port Alberni Labyrinth Society. That society, a small community group, helped advocate for and coordinate the installation, emphasizing the potential of labyrinths to foster reflection and wellbeing.

Knowing that other hospital labyrinths exist in the province adds context to BC Children’s Hospital’s labyrinth: while it may not be the first, it contributes to a growing tradition of contemplative spaces designed for healing, connection, and calm.

 

Words of Peace

The oversized calligraphy posters by Thích Nhất Hạnh at the entrance of the garden set a reflective tone that carries through the labyrinth walk. His words do not instruct or guide; they simply accompany the movement, offering gentle invitations toward peace, presence, and attention. Reading them before stepping onto the labyrinth, I felt a subtle alignment between body, breath, and mind. The posters, the plants, the path itself—all combine to create a space that is grounding and expansive, where reflection is encouraged without expectation.

 

The Gift of Pause

What struck me most was how these spaces create small opportunities for pause in environments that are, by their nature, filled with urgency. Hospital grounds are often associated with stress, waiting, and care delivered under pressure. The Healing Garden, and the labyrinth at its center, offers a different tempo: one of slowing down, noticing, and being present with whatever arises.

For patients, this might be a respite from pain or worry; for families, a moment of quiet reflection; for staff, a chance to breathe and regain clarity before returning to demanding work. In each case, the labyrinth facilitates an embodied form of care, one that engages the body, the mind, and, for a moment, the spirit.

 

Returning from the Path

The labyrinth at BC Children’s Hospital is more than a walking path. It is an invitation—an ethical, gentle invitation—to pause, notice, and move with attention. It reminds us that even in busy, high-stakes environments, spaces can be created that prioritize presence, reflection, and peace. And in doing so, these spaces quietly affirm what we already know: that care is not only something delivered but something shared, experienced, and lived.

For those who visit, or for anyone curious about the potential of labyrinths in hospital or urban settings, this garden offers a model of thoughtful design, integration, and accessibility. It is a reminder that movement, observation, and stillness can coexist; that a five-circuit labyrinth can hold as much meaning as hours of meditation; and that, sometimes, healing begins simply by following a path, step by step, toward the center and back again.