Marigold Hospice Care has announced that construction process is underway, and that the facility in the Municipalityof Clarington is scheduled to open next year.
Tendering is completed, a construction contract has been awarded, all ministry and municipal approvals are completed and site preparation started in fall, 2023, with construction continuing in spring of this year, said a hospice announcement.
“Construction of our facility is expected to take 14 – 18 months. We are looking forward to beginning operations in 2025,” it said. The project is estimated to cost more than $10 million.
The hospice is continuing to raise funds, to furnish the building and to purchase all of the necessary medical equipment and supplies.
“As the ministry funds roughly 60 per cent of the cost of annual operations, we must raise funds every year to meet the gap between government funding and the cost of operating. We are grateful for every one of our donors, who ensure that we can provide the best possible end of life care,” said the statement.
Volunteer Effort
In 2017 a small but determined group of volunteers from Clarington began their journey to build a hospice residence. The 11-member board faced many challenges along the way, not the least of which was a massive pandemic, which interrupted fund raising efforts, curtailed all activity, and resulted in significant construction cost increases (40 per cent). The board exercised caution and prudence, and undertook extensive re-design efforts over an 18-month period to ensure that the building would be affordable, without sacrificing any of the patient and family services and amenities.
“After delays, business interruptions, cost increases, and more, we are excited to be very close to reaching our capital campaign goal,” says the hospice’s website..
At November’s General Government Committee, Clarington Council heard an update from hospice board member Marian Timmermans about construction progress on the new hospice. Marian shared that the bulk of construction has been tendered to local companies, with a total construction budget of more than $10 million.
The Municipality has supported the new hospice, donating surplus land on Cobbledick Road in Newcastle for the building and a grant to offset development charges for the project, in addition to a $1.25 million grant (see below).
Learn more about Marigold Hospice Care and opportunities to donate to the project at www.marigoldhospicecare.ca.