Posted on Mar. 12, 2009 by Stefan Jonsson, Programs and Marketing Coordinator
You may not quite recognize this hallway at Queenswood with the new doors and floor covered in dust, but it's one of the busiest corridors in the building. We're looking down the main corridor on the main floor toward the DiCastri Walkway and Chapel. Of course, all the dust is from the renovations in the new Hospitality Centre. The doors have been installed because the Hospitality Centre will be very busy at times, and we want to ensure that the rest of the building can remain quiet and serene despite increased traffic.
During the first few days of the renovations, the walls between the parlour and reading room and the parlour and the corridor were removed to make an open and welcoming space for the Hospitality Centre. In this picture, we're looking at the Hospitality Centre from what used to be the door into the parlour from the corridor. The semi-circular wall near the ceiling marks where a new counter and cabinets will be installed to make a reception counter. Behind that, more cabinetry will be installed, including a dividing wall to separate Reception from the new Queenswood Store!
This is a shot from the main doors into the building and the new Hospitality Centre. All of the furniture has been removed from the vestibule and the interior doors were also taken down. This has created a warm and open space which naturally leads right to the Hospitality Centre straight ahead.
And finally, this photo shows the silent dining room, which is now being converted into a prayer and meditation room that will be reserved for silence 24/7. Because programs like yoga are regularly held in the Chapel, this room will provide a space that is permanently set apart for quiet reflection. The Chapel will continue to serve as a place of prayer and meditation, but can't always be reserved for silence. The spaces between the cinder blocks are being covered over in this new prayer room to give it a smoother and more open feel. A new light fixture was also installed as you can see in the photo.
The drywalling and filling in of the spaces inbetween the cinder blocks in all of the renovation spaces will be complete tomorrow (Fri. Mar. 13, 2009) and painting will begin either later tomorrow or on Saturday. We'll keep you all posted!
Sr. Marina and I were at the Queenswood booth. We met hundreds of people, and shared about the wonderful opportunities Queenswood has to "embrace aging." Many visitors were interested in 
I also had the opportunity to meet many other exhibiters today. I was particularly interested in meeting exhibiters involved in caregiving and other helping professionals, as Queenswood has a special stream of programs devoted to supporting their health and wellness. I also wanted to learn about what services others provide in Victoria. I think it's important to be connected to all of these groups, because there are often ways in which we can support these other vital organizations. I learned a lot more about the 
