“ErinoakKids is thrilled today to commemorate the start of construction on our new Brampton facility,” said ErinoakKids President and CEO Bridget Fewtrell said at a groundbreaking ceremony on May 1. “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.”
Located at the intersection of McVean Drive and Castlemore Road in northeast Brampton, the new 122,000 sq. ft.facility will house what will be Ontario’s largest respite centre for children who are medically fragile/technology dependent, have complex care requirements or autism. The centre will offer a range of services from day to overnight stays and, for the first time, 24/7 service. Here, specially trained staff, nurses and program assistants will care for children with complex care needs, providing a period of caregiving relief for parents.
“Supporting the needs of our clients and families is at the core of what we do at ErinoakKids,” said Board Chair Meeta Bains. “Our new Brampton facility is being built as a welcoming, accessible space so that we can continue to provide critical medical services, treatment and therapy for future generations of Ontario children and youth.
The new Brampton site 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 Youth Drop-In Centre
- Two gyms for physiotherapy, group therapy and recreation therapy
- 25 treatment rooms
- Three therapeutic playrooms
- A Family Resource Centre for staff and families
- An audiology area for hearing aid fitting and dispensing
The Brampton location is one of three new ErinoakKids sites to be constructed as part of a much-needed and long-anticipated redevelopment project approved in 2011 by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. The project will enable ErinoakKids to consolidate its current patchwork of outgrown and mostly leased and retrofitted office and commercial spaces into three larger sites — one in Brampton, another in Oakville and a third in Mississauga. The facilities are designed specifically for the care of children and youth with special needs and will offer a variety of services, including: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, autism services, speech and language services, infant hearing and screening services, vision services, recreation therapy, social work services, and auditory verbal therapy and American Sign Language instruction.
“Today marks a significant milestone for families with children with special needs in the Brampton and Caledon area. As Minister of Children and Youth Services, I am delighted that the Ontario government is funding three new state-of the-art ErinoakKids facilities, which include the one in Brampton being celebrated today,” said Tracy MacCharles, Minister of Children and Youth Services. “Once completed children and their families will have better, easier access to the vitally important programs the centre provides.”
The Ministry of Children and Youth Services is funding the design and construction costs, as well as funding to support the acquisition of land, project planning and overall project management. ErinoakKids is raising $20 million – $15 million for therapy/treatment program equipment and furniture, and $5 million to support specialized services through its $20 million In My Dreams capital campaign.
In support of the campaign, two significant donations were also announced today. The Longo’s Family Charitable Foundation will fund family resource centres at each site, known as the Longo’s Family Resource Centre, where families can access resources to support their child’s learning development at home. Additionally, The Giampaolo Foundation has donated funds for what will be known as the Giampaolo Foundation Campus in Brampton.
The three sites are set to open in spring 2017.
