Willow Springs Creative Centre evolved from Willow Springs Artisan Gift Store & Studio that formed in 2001. Four artisans, Lea Hayes, Kathy Toivonen, Liisa Mikkola and Judi Vinni, began a journey of artistic commerce that mushroomed into offering creative programs to individuals and organizations. 

In order to realize the full potential of the venture, a non-profit organization was formed in June 2006, with a focus on nature inspired art programs, classes, projects and events especially willow furniture making, painting, pottery, and more. The new organization was named Willow Springs Creative Centre (WSCC) and had a mission to promote growth through creative expression and community development. Therapeutic gardening & food programs were added after the first few years. An early partnership with George Jeffrey Children’s Centre demonstrated the value of art and gardening programming for children with physical and cognitive disabilities. Conceptualization, attention, focus, hand-eye coordination and group skills were developed along with the artistic and horticultural skills. The Children’s Centre Thunder Bay engaged their First Nations youth program in a willow chair construction project with WSCC. The process of venturing into the woods to select and cut branches and use them to build beautiful, functional furniture was about much more than construction techniques. It became an opportunity to be in nature, discover one’s own artistic talents, work as a team, build self-esteem and experience a sense of accomplishment.

These experiences inspired our first Trillium grant that allowed WSCC to explore the therapeutic relationship between art and nature, gardening and people’s relationship to plants. This led to WSCC partnering with Horticultural Therapist Master, Mitchell Hewson and Homewood Health Centre in Guelph to offer therapeutic gardening and horticultural therapy training for dozens of people in Northwestern Ontario and establish therapeutic gardening programs for many. Willow Springs and Coordinator, Judi Vinni, have had a long term relationship with the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association (CHTA) as a result and in September 2018, WSCC hosted the CHTA’s annual conference.

As a result of all the gardens WSCC got involved in and the volume of food we were growing, our food programs were a natural progression in our repertoire. We quickly recognized this as an opportunity to offer accessible, individualized food service  training for people with barriers to employment. For the past decade and more, our Soup & Bread Extravaganza, Pizza and Salad and the Willow Springs Market have become successful examples of our exciting local food related social purpose enterprises providing employment skills training for adults with disabilities. As these food training programs evolved, we partnered with Confederation College and Lakehead University to provide students in Rec Therapy, Social Work,, Inclusive Outdoor Rec, and Education with hands-on mentorship opportunities. 

WSCC now provides art, therapeutic gardening & food programming and employment training year round at our Centre and in a mobile fashion. We provide programming, workshops and classes for people in long term care and retirement homes, correctional and treatment centres, group homes, schools and those served by various social service and art organizations and groups as well as the public. We draw on an exceptional board of directors, a roster of talented artists, gardeners & bakers/cooks and committed volunteers to do this vital work.  

To promote growth through creative expression and community development.

Willow Springs Creative Centre envisions a world where everyone has access to creativity and nature.