Halls Hill Lookout and Labyrinth, a beautiful meditative landscape that overlooks Blakely Harbor, has been donated to the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation to be managed for long-term public enjoyment.
The Halls Hill property is being donated by IslandWood founders Debbi and Paul Brainerd.
The Brainerds developed the property over the past 15 years as a contemplative wayside stop for Bainbridge residents who live, walk and bike nearby. It has become widely known for its beautiful stone mosaic labyrinth and Tibetan bronze prayer wheel, while others use it to rest in nature for quiet reflection.
A wooded path connects the prayer wheel and the labyrinth, with native trees and plants that create a buffer between these two distinct works of art. There are several areas to sit and enjoy the surrounding forest and the views of the harbor below.
“The Halls Hill Lookout and Labyrinth has been a favorite stop for neighbors and island residents,” said Barb Trafton, Parks Foundation Executive Director. “With incredible generosity and creativity, the Brainerds created a place that welcomes and inspires those who visit. We are now fortunate to receive this land and become its stewards.”
Debbi Brainerd said from the beginning, with its views over the harbor, the land called out to become a quiet rest stop for locals to enjoy the natural beauty of the area and to create a peaceful space in nature for pause.
“Our hope is that this small piece of land will continue to offer a place of quiet refuge for locals, to stop and feel as if this was their own private sanctuary,” Debbi Brainerd said.
The Halls Hill Lookout also honors Noel Burke, one of the first employees of IslandWood, who passed away in 2005.
Unique works of local art
Stone mosaic artist and landscape designer Jeffrey Bale, of Portland, Ore., designed and built the large stone mosaic labyrinth, dedicated in 2014. Many believe that labyrinths are useful for healing and meditation. In the Middle Ages, walking a cathedral labyrinth became a devotional activity used as walking meditation to focus the mind.
Chimacum sculptor Tom Jay was commissioned to build the lookout’s bronze prayer wheel, dedicated in 2008. Prayer wheels, as developed within the Tibetan tradition, provide a way to offer heartfelt wishes that all beings might be free from sources of suffering. Mechanically turning the wheel, installed at heart-level, offers a comforting motion and sound, as the wheel completes seven revolutions.
Other features by local artists can be found throughout the grounds.
“It is an honor for the Parks Foundation to become the lead steward of the Lookout,” Trafton said. “The Brainerds’ gift to the community is neither park nor open space, but rather a special space that reminds us all that a melding of nature and art can lift the soul.”
The property will be maintained by the Parks Foundation with private community support. A new Friends of Halls Hill Lookout & Labyrinth group is being formed, so fans and frequent visitors can help to care for the site.
The Parks Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization that raises funds to support local parks, stewardship projects, and public trail systems in partnership with the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District.
While the Parks Foundation typically does not own real property, the chance to accept the Lookout was a unique opportunity. The Brainerds have been longtime patrons of the Foundation, Blakely Harbor Park restoration, and other stewardship projects,
Formal guidelines for use of the Lookout are designed to maintain the property’s character as a tranquil and meditative space.
Organized and formal gatherings (including weddings) are not permitted, while short visits are preferred. Visitors are encouraged to walk or bike to the Lookout, because roadside parking is extremely limited.
For more information on Halls Hill Lookout & Labyrinth, contact the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation at info@biparksfoundation.org.
