THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: Project Chair Ann Wagle is shown next to a new community labyrinth next to St. James United Methodist Church in Danville. A dedication and inaugural walk is set for Wednesday.
DANVILLE — A new community labyrinth across from St. James United Methodist Church is meant to be an outdoor space to assist with health and wellness.
The public is invited to a dedication and inaugural walk of the 11-path labyrinth at 2 p.m. Wednesday. It’s just west of the church at 504 N. Vermilion St., adjacent to the parking lot on Walnut Street.
Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System’s drumming group, along with music and recreation therapists, and a Native American flute player, will be on hand at the dedication.
Ann Wagle, an organist at St. James and chair of the project, said the 46-foot-diameter labyrinth is based on the style of the Chartres Cathedral near Paris.
“It’s a gift to the community,” said Wagle, who added that a lot of community members might be unfamiliar with the concept of the maze of paths, so the dedication will be an opportunity to see one and walk it.
There are about 6,500 labyrinths in the world, Wagle said.
She said the labyrinth is used by a variety of religions, including Christians, to symbolize spiritual journeys, such as pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and have more recently been used for reflection and meditation.
Several studies have shown their health, physical and mental benefits, she said.
The community labyrinth in Danville was created using funds raised from individuals and entities through local and area grants, Wagle said. No church funds were used for the project.
She said she believes this is the only permanent labyrinth in the area. It’s accessible to wheelchairs and people of all levels of abilities, and is an open and beautiful space for centering and meditation, Wagle said.
Organizers worked with artisan John Ridder of Indianapolis, who has created more than 450 labyrinths around the world, including at the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Wagle said Ridder is an expert.
Ridder has been designing labyrinths since he first walked one in 1993, and has created them in a variety of media for a wide range of clients.
He’s a founding member of the Labyrinth Society and co-founder of the Labyrinth Coalition, and has served on the Veriditas Council and as a regional representative for The Labyrinth Society. He has a master’s degree in business administration Indiana University and was previous a banker and business consultant.
Ridder was in Danville in June to create the labyrinth, using markers to draw it. Wagle was among the community volunteers who helped stain it, after which it was sealed. It will need to be resealed every few years.
Project members explored different types of labyrinths to choose one for Danville.
“We’re pleased with the outcome,” Wagle said. “It’s very striking. It will be a ministry.”
She said those involved wanted people who use walkers and wheelchairs to be able to use it, as well.
“It’s always open. It’s meant to be used by the community,” Wagle said. “It’s very geometrically designed as well. We are hoping STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students might even use it.
“It’s just kind of the mystery of the labyrinth. We just want it to be something for the community.”
Volunteers will also be adding two benches and more landscaping around the labyrinth. It’s on church property, and Wagle said the city has been supportive.
The labyrinth also will be listed on labyrinth locator.org for those who travel to different labyrinths.
Other nearby labyrinths are located in Crystal Lake Park in Urbana and on a pedestrian bridge over the Wabash River separating Lafayette and West Lafayette, Ind.
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