queenswood 1960-1999
Queenswood House of Studies
The Sisters of St. Ann were pioneers in education and health care in British Columbia. For background information about the Sisters of St. Ann and their foundress, Blessed Mother Mary Ann, please visit the St. Ann's Academy website here.
Queenswood's story began in the 1960s when St. Ann's Academy was bustling and filled to capacity. The Sisters of St. Ann decided it was time to find property in Victoria near UVIC, where young sisters could live while getting their education and professional training, and where ill and aging sisters could reside and retire.
On Arbutus Road near Cadboro Bay the Sisters of St. Ann found 15 wooded acres that fitted their needs. The grounds included pristine forested areas as well as tended gardens. Prior to becoming Queenswood it had been the homestead of Lt. Col. Alen A. Sharland, whose home was destroyed by fire in the early 1960s. In 1966 the sisters commissioned architect John DiCastri to design Queenswood House, a convent and retreat centre. Sometimes called "The House of Studies", Queenswood was designed as an oasis of peace for students, missionaries, and people of all faiths who needed space to study or just respite from the buffeting of the world. Designed as a space evolving spiritually in harmony with the contours of the land, the building follows the descent and rise of the terrain and the orientation of light within its magnificent natural surroundings. To John DiCastri, Queenswood was one of his most endearing accomplishments.
Queenswood opened in 1967 just a few years before the closing of St. Ann's Academy. Retreats began shortly after the opening of Queenswood House. Quite forward thinking and always with a concern for women, the sisters' first retreat was for single mothers needing to renew their energy. It was called "Seven Beds for Seven Mothers."
In 1967 the small Seghers Library was begun at what was then known as the Queenswood House of Studies. In the 1980s, as the Queenswood Library grew, it showed potential to become a well-stocked library. Although the emphasis of the collection was on spiritual and psychological wellness issues, mysteries, fiction, DVDs, and videos also became well-represented and sought after by visitors to Queenswood.
Queenswood Retreat Centre
In the 1970s, Queenswood programs became known in the Greater Victoria community. Queenswood earned a reputation as a welcoming, nurturing retreat centre for anyone seeking a quiet, restful place to retreat, relax and renew oneself -- physically, mentally and/or spiritually.
While Queenswood has always been non-profit, changes and additions have occurred over the years. Program offerings have expanded and evolved. Some of the courses/retreats that have been offered have included: spiritual direction, Reiki, meditation, poetry, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, 12-Step AA recovery, Mid-life Directions, and the Enneagram. A labyrinth was built into the grounds in 1999. Three healthy meals have always been prepared daily and a therapeutic, heated indoor pool provides exercise and relaxation to those in need.
Click here to carry onto "Queenswood 2000-Present"
