Serenity: A Name Chosen by Our Community, a Space Created with Love

Some places have a way of inviting us to slow down, take a breath, and be present with the people who matter most. At Huron Shores Hospice, our newest residential suite was created with these moments in mind. Its name, Serenity, reflects the peace, comfort, and compassion our community hopes every resident and family will experience.

On October 26, 2026, Huron Shores Hospice welcomed the community to celebrate the grand opening of Serenity, our third residential hospice suite at Tiverton Park Manor. It was a milestone years in the making, made possible by the generosity of our donors, the dedication of our volunteers and staff, and the unwavering support of a community that believes everyone deserves compassionate end-of-life care close to home.

What should we call this new space?

We wanted a name that would mean something to the people who would spend time here. A name that reflected the experience we hope to offer residents and their loved ones, and the care that would surround them during one of life's most significant chapters.

The answer came from the community itself.

A Name That Speaks to What Matters Most

Through a community survey, we invited people to share their thoughts, feelings, and hopes for our new suite. Their responses offered a glimpse into what people value when they think about hospice care.

One respondent described Serenity as: "Serenity reflects a calm and gentle space to rest, breathe and share meaningful moments. The name also reflects the safety and respect that will be offered in respite care as well."

Others returned to a common hope: that the end of life, whenever possible, should be met with peace rather than fear, and with comfort rather than uncertainty.

"A calm, quiet, peaceful setting where all are welcomed and enveloped in compassionate comfort."

"It would be calm and peaceful."

"I hope that when in Hospice they are serene and at peace."

One response captured the experience of those who have already encountered hospice care in our community:

"Patients [residents] say it’s such a beautiful place to be when needed."

These words are simple, but the hopes behind them are profound. They speak to the importance of feeling safe, being treated with dignity, having space to breathe, and knowing that you and the people you love will be cared for.

The community survey responses were collected confidentially, allowing people to share their thoughts openly. While we cannot attach individual names to these reflections, together they reveal something meaningful about the hopes people hold for hospice care, across generations and experiences.

Serenity emerged as a name that brought these hopes together.

What Serenity Means to Us

The word serenity describes a state of calm, peace, and quiet. But within a hospice, its meaning reaches beyond the atmosphere of a room. It is the reassurance of knowing someone is there when you need them. It is the freedom to spend an afternoon with family without worrying about the next practical task. It is a familiar voice, a favourite song, a hand held a little longer, or a quiet moment together when there are no words left to say.

Serenity is also about the people who provide care. It is the patience to listen, the attentiveness to notice what might bring comfort, and the compassion to meet each person where they are. It means creating an environment where residents are respected as individuals, their wishes are honoured, and their loved ones are welcomed as an essential part of their care.

These are the values we hope Serenity will reflect every day.

As Huron Shores Hospice board member Diane Allingham-Hawkins explains:

"Serenity is defined as a state of utter calm and unruffled repose or quietude - I believe this clearly aligns with the atmosphere we wish to create for our guests."

Board vice-chair Tanya Leppington shared a similar sentiment:

"It is a very peaceful word…exactly what we want our space to be for our residents and their families."

More Room for Meaningful Moments

With a third residential suite, we can welcome more residents and support more families who need compassionate end-of-life care. The new space has been thoughtfully designed with comfort, accessibility, privacy, and connection in mind, helping residents and loved ones spend time together in an environment that feels welcoming and personal.

Every detail matters. A comfortable place to sit close to someone you love. Room for family to gather. The opportunity to share stories, celebrate a life, or simply enjoy being together without needing to fill the silence. These moments may seem small from the outside, but for families navigating the end of life, they can mean everything.

Serenity also reflects our commitment to making compassionate care more accessible in the communities we call home. Huron Shores Hospice provides residential hospice care at no cost to residents and families, relying on community generosity to help sustain this essential service.

A Community's Name, a Shared Commitment

Every donation, volunteer hour, thoughtful contribution, and act of kindness has helped create the conditions for this care to happen. Our community has shown, time and again, that caring for people at the end of life is something worth coming together for.

The name Serenity is a reflection of that shared commitment.

It is a promise we strive to honour through the care we provide, the welcome we extend to families, and the dignity we uphold for every resident who comes through our doors.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Guy and the team at Plan B Construction, Ford Design, Elevation Engineering, SJ Plumbing, Blue Water Fire and Security, and Todd Electrical for bringing this vision to life with such expertise and care. We are equally grateful to our Opening Committee, Tanya, Aprille, Jessica, Eugene, Tara, and Liz, whose ideas, attention to detail, patience, and countless hours of work helped make this milestone possible. To our Hearts of Hospice supporters, Kindred Foundation, Donna Mowatt, the Ripley Reunion Committee, UBC 2222, Stacy and Brydon Cruise, Dave Perry, Community Foundation Grey Bruce, Port Elgin Legion, the United Church Women of Port Elgin, Tanya Leppington, Walmart, the Stark family, and Anne Halbert, thank you for your generosity and lasting investment in hospice care. We also gratefully acknowledge Lake Huron Home, Harbour Rose, RONA, the Municipality of Kincardine, the Leppington family, HDTV, Brent Henry, and Accents, along with the many local businesses, organizations, families, and individuals who contributed their time, resources, and expertise. Every contribution has helped create a beautiful, welcoming space where residents and their loved ones can experience compassionate care, comfort, and meaningful moments. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make Serenity a reality.

We know that not every moment at the end of life will feel calm or peaceful. There may be uncertainty, sadness, difficult decisions, and grief. Serenity does not mean the absence of those feelings. It means creating a space where they can be met with compassion, where no one has to navigate them alone, and where comfort and connection remain possible even in the hardest moments. That is what we hope people will feel when they enter this suite. That is what our community envisioned when they chose its name. And that is what we will continue working toward, every day.

Welcome to Serenity.

A place to rest. A place to connect. A place to be cared for.

A place where every moment matters.

With gratitude to our community for helping us bring Serenity to life, and for reminding us, through your words, why this work matters so deeply.