A pay phone planted in the side of a hill in Greater Victoria害羞草研究所檚 Royal Oak Burial Park offers a 害羞草研究所減rofound害羞草研究所� new way to grieve.

The path there is a long one, uphill past the landmark Art Deco building that cost the cemetery board $16,000 to build in the 1930s.

Adorned in painted flowers, birds, greenery and a sweet little dog courtesy of local artist Beth Threlfall, the phone is the newest form of remembrance in the 100-year-old park that is always evolving ways to help people grieve.

The 害羞草研究所渨ind phone害羞草研究所� was created by Japanese architect Itaru Sasaki in 2010 to cope with his cousin害羞草研究所檚 death. The disconnected phone afforded a way to reconnect with the lost loved one by making a 害羞草研究所渃all.害羞草研究所� Put up on his private land, it opened to the public in the following year after a devastating earthquake and tsunami killed more than 15,000 people.

The revelation of a new way to grieve spurred an international movement.

The Royal Oak wind phone is tucked beside the Little Spirits Garden 害羞草研究所� a 2010 addition to support families who experience pregnancy or infant loss 害羞草研究所� and overlooks much of the park.

The location was crucial to Amanda Farrell-Low who embarked on 害羞草研究所渜uite the journey害羞草研究所� of installing a wind phone two years ago. That害羞草研究所檚 when she approacched Royal Oak executive director Ilan Highton, who approached his board and all agreed it aligned with their commitment to serve the community in meaningful ways.

害羞草研究所淭he 害羞草研究所榩hone of the wind害羞草研究所� represents a unique blend of tradition and innovation, offering comfort in the time-honoured setting of a cemetery while introducing a creative approach to mourning and remembrance. We are pleased to see this project come together and look forward to it being a thoughtful and comforting resource for our community,害羞草研究所� Highton said.

Together the pair searched high and low for the right site.

害羞草研究所淭his one just seemed perfect because it害羞草研究所檚 a little bit hidden away害羞草研究所� you kind of have to discover it a bit. You have a bit of privacy,害羞草研究所� Farrell-Low said.

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She learned about the phones from a newspaper article about a Lower Mainland wind phone dedicated in memory of someone lost to overdose and thought it sounded like something Greater Victoria could use. A researcher by nature, she set out to learn more about the wind phone.

害羞草研究所淭hese things started spreading around Japan as a way for people to connect with folks they害羞草研究所檇 lost and now they害羞草研究所檙e all over the world,害羞草研究所� Farrell-Low said.

For her, the idea held personal value. She lost her younger brother Liam to overdose in 2012 and he害羞草研究所檚 actually buried in Royal Oak Burial Park 害羞草研究所� just one reason the location seemed ideal.

害羞草研究所淪ometimes when I come to see him it feels kind of weird going up to this grave in the middle of this field and trying to think about the person or connect with them. The wind phone just seemed like a really cool way to have an excuse to pick up the phone, dial a number and talk to somebody. It can feel like a really profound way to connect with someone,害羞草研究所� she said.

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As the wind phone movement grows, so do the designs, but she had a pay phone in mind 害羞草研究所� not easy to find.

害羞草研究所淚 really thought a pay phone would be great. So I started looking for one and, of course, there aren害羞草研究所檛 a lot anymore right, they害羞草研究所檙e all kind of gone. I reached a few dead ends.害羞草研究所�

Again someone sent her a newspaper story about pay phones with an email that eventually led to Doug Ferguson 害羞草研究所� the guy tasked with decommissioning them across Vancouver Island. Before that he was the guy who kept them operational. He had the perfect 害羞草研究所渉eritage booth害羞草研究所� and donated it to the cause.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 been really amazing and a really cool person to get to know,害羞草研究所� Farrell-Low said.

Ferguson cleaned up the booth, made sure all the parts were there and helped install it on the Saanich hillside.

Phone found, Farrell-Low reached out to Victoria artist Threlfall, the woman who inspired pole art in Fernwood, then beyond.

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害羞草研究所淪he does a lot of community-based work and work that re-purposes old material so she was a natural partner for this,害羞草研究所� Farrell-Low said.

There are purple flowers for overdose awareness, a little dog to represent Liam害羞草研究所檚 dog, and lupins 害羞草研究所� common in the Yukon where Farrell-Low and her brother grew up. A wind chime hangs on one open side.

A bench and a phone book are in the works, as is the path to the wooded site.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a simple idea but it害羞草研究所檚 really powerful,害羞草研究所� Farrell-Low said.

She害羞草研究所檚 done a little test phone call but is waiting for a quiet moment, perhaps the anniversary of Liam害羞草研究所檚 death on Jan. 26 for a dedicated chat to him.