May 4 2015
At a ceremony in Brampton today, the Honourable Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance and MPP for Mississauga South, Vic Dhillon, MPP for Brampton West, and Harinder Malhi, MPP for Brampton-Springdale, joined officials and staff from ErinoakKids to celebrate the start of construction on a new children's treatment and respite centre — the largest of its kind in Ontario.
Located at the intersection of McVean Drive and Castlemore Road, the Brampton children's treatment and respite centre is the largest of three new and long-anticipated ErinoakKids facilities scheduled to break ground this month. At 122,000 square feet, the Brampton facility will house 26 respite beds for children who are medically fragile / technology dependent, autistic, or have complex care requirements. The two other sites will be in Mississauga and Oakville, measuring 103,000 square feet and 79,000 square feet, respectively.
Along with the respite centre, the new Brampton facility will house:
- a warm-water therapy pool
- a controlled, multisensory Snoezelen room for children with autism or developmental disabilities
- two fully accessible playgrounds for recreation therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy
- an adapted fitness facility
- a drop-in centre for youth
- two gyms for physiotherapy, group therapy and recreation therapy
- 25 treatment rooms
- three therapeutic playrooms
- a resource centre for staff and families
- an audiology area for hearing-aid fitting and dispensing
Construction of the three new sites is expected to be completed in late 2016 and early 2017 and the facilities are scheduled to open in spring 2017.
The ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development project is being delivered using Infrastructure Ontario's (IO's) Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model. Peel-Halton Partnership (PHP) has been selected to design, build and finance the project. PHP's selection was the result of an open, fair and competitive procurement process that began in February 2013. The project will provide significant economic opportunity for suppliers and contractors in the Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville areas. At the peak of construction, PHP estimates that more than 200 workers will be on each site daily.
The new, state-of-the-art facilities will replace ErinoakKids' existing patchwork of 11 outgrown and outdated sites in Halton, Dufferin and Peel, while more than doubling its existing treatment therapy space — from 128,000 square feet to 280,000 square feet. The three sites, which will offer a range of services, will enable ErinoakKids to continue its mission to help children and youth with physical, developmental and communication disorders, autism, and hearing and vision impairment achieve optimal levels of independence, learning, health and well-being.
The new facilities are expected to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver certification for design excellence and sustainability.
IO and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services are working with ErinoakKids to build the new children's treatment centres, which will remain publicly owned and controlled.
Quotes:
Tracy MacCharles, Minister of Children and Youth Services
"We are thrilled to be celebrating the start of construction on the ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development project. When completed, the three new facilities will offer children and youth improved access to enhanced rehabilitative care. Our government is proud to be part of the project's success."
Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure
"Once construction of this project is completed, the ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development will be the largest children's respite centre in Ontario. The new facilities will be the centre-piece of specialized children's care in Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville, while spurring hundreds of jobs for suppliers and contractors, and generating growth in Ontario's economy."
Bridget Fewtrell, President and CEO, ErinoakKids
"ErinoakKids is thrilled today to commemorate the start of construction on our new Brampton facility. This day marks a milestone not only for our organization, but for the clients and families we serve. Our children and youth will have access to better co-ordinated services to help them reach their true potential and our most complex clients and families access to a first-of-its-kind respite centre in the province."
Bert Clark, President and CEO, Infrastructure Ontario
"We are very pleased with the progress on the ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development project. The start of construction means that we will soon see the project go from idea to reality. We look forward to continuing to work with Peel-Halton Partnership in bringing the vision for a state-of-the-art children's treatment facility to life."