By CHAT News Today

Amplify Medicine Hat – Windmill Garden Centre

Mar 28, 2022 | 4:10 AM

Local business is the cornerstone of Medicine Hat, that’s why we’re asking you to Amplify Medicine Hat by nominating local businesses we can highlight and support.

Windmill Garden Centre was nominated and described as “a beautiful place full of memories” and that statement could not be more true, as the business itself has become a sort of memorial to the original owner Johannes, late brother of current owner Art.

Memorial frame and poem to Johannes, displayed in the Butterfly House.

The garden centre building has been in Medicine Hat since 1942, operating as a nursery that distributed cut flowers to florists. It was not until 1967 that Johannes purchased the business and expanded it to be the greenhouse and garden retail centre it is today. Shortly thereafter, Art joined his brother in running the business.

The iconic windmill that towers over the entrance to the garden centre was constructed by the brothers and some of the staff at the time. To the public, the windmill serves as an eye-catching feature and transporting entryway into the garden centre, but for the brothers it was a monument to their heritage. Construction on the windmill began in 1993 and was completed over a year. “We’re from a Dutch background,” Art explained, “so where we came from in Holland there was always windmills around.” There are times he looks at the windmill and can’t believe they built it themselves.

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The Butterfly House is a newer addition to the Windmill Garden Centre, having been opened in 2012. It will open again on April 20^th of this year and is celebrating its 10^th anniversary! It began as a dream of Johannes, who visited butterfly houses in Key West and fell in love with the idea. He convinced Art and together with their staff they constructed the butterfly house as you know it today. Even the waterfall and small stream running through the building was built by them. Art described it as “a dream, and it’s kind of his [Johannes’] legacy.”

Art has been with Windmill Garden Centre for 43 years. Corinne, garden centre manager, has been with the business for 38 years. Amy, Art’s daughter, joined 2 years ago and will hopefully carry on the legacy of the centre.

The Windmill Garden Centre is family run and truly a labour of love and a monument to memory.

Thanks for your nominations, and thanks to Windmill Garden Centre for helping us Amplify Medicine Hat. If you would like to nominate a business that has made a difference in our community, click here and tell us how they Amplify Medicine Hat!