There is a new and unique place to visit in Hilliard: a labyrinth at Merchant Park.
The City partnered with the Rotary Club of Hilliard to build the circular labyrinth out of brick pavers at Merchant Park, which can be seen from the Heritage Rail Trail and Makoy Center.
“The labyrinth is a spiritual tool that will provide a restful and beautiful spot where people can go to meditate and find peace,” said Hala Zahreddine, Rotary Club of Hilliard President.
Labyrinths are defined as a single path that winds and meanders from one point on the edge to the center and back again. Often confused with mazes, labyrinths are not intended to be challenging – you can’t get lost traveling its paths – but rather to promote peace.
Those who walk the brick path of the Merchant Park labyrinth will eventually find peace in the form of a dove etched in the middle stone.
“Doves are a universal symbol of peace, love and humanity,” Zahreddine said. “The image is a metaphor for reaching peace within oneself and then spreading it to enlighten others.”
It’s no coincidence that the labyrinth was built at Merchant Park, a place that promotes unity and peace in the Hilliard community.
In 2021, the City of Hilliard dedicated Merchant Park to honor the first Black family believed to have settled in the Hilliard area. The Rotary Club of Hilliard installed a peace pole at the park to serve as a symbol of unity and to remind everyone who visits the park to think, act, and speak in the spirit of peace and harmony.
The public is welcome to visit the new labyrinth, rest on a bench nearby, do yoga on the pavers, or walk the labyrinth’s path while meditating. There will also be a dedication ceremony on May 20 at 9 a.m.
“We hope the labyrinth helps people reach peace within themselves, and from there, spread peace throughout the community,” Zahreddine said.
