Located in the historic King's Park, the Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth honours the legacy of the Manitoba-born Pulitzer Prize-winning author in an environment designed for meditation, healing and reflection. 

In 2006, a group of Manitobans came together, motivated to create an exterior space featuring a built labyrinth, meditative garden, and memorial tribute. Due to the project's ambitious nature, the committee completed the project in two phases, allowing opportunities for donations and fundraising to help incorporate design elements into the built infrastructure.

The committee brought on ft3 to help them realize their vision of building a unique space that meanders through native perennials, ornamental shrubs, and engraved bricks and boulders. Our design features a gathering area with interpretive signage, an engraved quote wall, a healing and meditation garden, and paved pathways to create a unique, accessible memorial that reflects the author's past while inspiring the visitor's future.

As the labyrinth's interior features laid the foundation of the space, the gathering area encouraged physical and emotional reflection for visitors. The engraved walls, showcasing the writer's work and underscoring the meaning behind our own stories, provide inspirational nodes while moving through the space. Meanwhile, the interpretive signage highlights Shields' career and acknowledges the groundswell of public support that moved the project toward completion.