Wind phones could be coming soon to 100 Mile House.
During the March 11 Committee of the Whole meeting, a proposal was sent to the District of 100 Mile House Council by Cariboo-Chilcotin Funeral Services Ltd., a business which specializes in traditional burial and cremation services. The letter written by Madelyn Gunn, a licensed funeral director with the service, stated that they were proposing the District of 100 Mile House support the installation of a community wind phone in 100 Mile House.
"This project seeks to create a simple, accessible, and comforting environment where community members can privately express their thoughts and emotions to lost loved ones," wrote Gunn in the letter.
The concept of a wind phone originated in Japan, specifically in a small town named Otsuchi located around 550 km north of Tokyo. In 2010, to cope with his cousin's death from cancer, garden designer Itaru Sasaki created the first wind phone.
"He built just a non-operational, kind of a phone booth within a really beautiful garden," Gunn stated.
After the 2011 Japan Earthquake, which killed 15,000 people, the wind phone was opened to the public. Since then, around 30,000 visitors have visited the area.
Replicas of the wind phone have been constructed around the world, including in Canada. In Ashcroft, a wind phone was approved to be installed in 2024 after a successful proposal by the Ashcroft and District Hospice Society.
Those mourning the loss of a loved one can use these wind phones to talk to the departed by either telling them about their feelings or what is going on in their life. It's similar in concept to writing a letter to the deceased and is intended to help people process their grief.
Gunn said that she came across the concept of the wind phone during her research for her funeral director, schooling and apprenticeship program.
"I was looking into the available resources in the communities of both Williams Lake and 100 Mile House. We have very, very limited resources for grief," Gunn explained. "So I felt as though it would be something that would be beneficial to our communities, not only to act as a resource for people but to spread awareness about it as well."
In her letter, Gunn proposed three possible locations: the Exeter Valley Accessible Nature Trail, the Centennial Park walking trail and the 100 Mile Marsh Trail.
"The Marsh Walk is quite a popular walk, that people do and then sometimes extends to the Exeter Valley trails and it's in nature. It's something that somebody would just come across, somewhat spontaneously," Gunn said.
Council found the wind phone proposal to be an interesting alternative way to help people grieve. After discussion, they suggested one could be built in the scattering garden near the 100 Mile House Cemetery and suggested that the wind phone be checked monthly.
Gunn stated that she appreciated council's feedback and was glad they found her proposal interesting. She does, however, have some mixed feelings over the proposed location.
"I would be okay with that if that's kind of the only option, but I do strongly feel as though somewhere in nature would be a better location," Gunn said, adding that cemeteries would usually be where someone goes to visit a grave site or memorial site.
Gunn also stated that the monthly checkups seemed a bit excessive to her.
"If it was a requirement for them to approve, then I could see that as being a possibility. Or maybe once every two to three months would be a little bit more reasonable to me," Gunn elaborated.
Gunn said she hopes to see the wind phone installed by the fall of this year, stating it would be a good thing to have in place.
With files from Barbara Roden.
