Officials at Hospice Wellington are hoping to have a brand new, expanded building in place for residential patients.
Hospice board chairman Elizabeth Fisk said the plan is to start construction early this spring, and be ready to move in patients one year later.
Fisk said the dream for a residential hospice started 25 years ago, but the plans for the expanded building at 795 Scottsdale Drive were set only in 2005.
Since then, they have been expanded – and so has the price tag for the building.
The facility will include 10 patient care rooms, along with multipurpose space that will be utilized for Hospice’s many wellness and therapeutic programs, group and one-on-one counselling, a community resource centre, as well as a clinic housing physicians specializing in palliative care and advanced pain management.
The facility will be used for people very ill or dying, so that along with their family and care givers, they can meet in a home-like setting free of the stress of daily care.
“Our mission is to be a centre of expertise for palliative care and bereavement support.
“We are very pleased to be able to work with the leading physicians in the area, and to have them right on site to support our patients and staff, and members of the community. It allows for the best comfort and continuum of care for our patients, and meets a high standard for residential hospice care,” said Fisk.
The original plan was for a building that cost $4.4-million, but that has now jumped to $6.3-million, and Fisk said that is mainly due to an increase in construction costs that ranged from 20 to 25 per cent, plus an expanded building itself.
Fisk said the board considered five other hospices before setting its latest plans, and has increased the space in patient’s rooms to 215 square feet from 192.
The research indicated the need for a bigger building. the final facility will have about 16,000 square feet, up from the original plan of 13,000.
She noted there will be a multi-purpose room, as well as rooms for staff offices and also rooms for programs provides at hospice for about 40 to 50 people who visit there every day.
Fundraising committee chairman Grant Robinson said a lot has happened since the fundraising started, but, “We did raise $4.8-million, more than the $4.4-million we said we needed.”
And, he said, with all that has been added to the plans, people may be getting more for their money now than when the planning began.
He said it is quite possible construction costs will be lower by the time work starts in the spring.
As for needing more cash, Robinson added “We’ll go back and raise some more money – but that’s what Hospice is all about.”
But Fisk said the organization is now on solid footing. She explained it paid its mortgage off five months ago, and can operate another five years before it will need more cash flow for the construction.
The building will be the area’s first residential hospice.
Wellington County Warden Joanne Ross-Zuj told about 50 people attending the unveiling of the plans that she was pleased one of her first duties as head of county council was a pleasant one.
“It’s great that this is where I start out – with a celebration,” she said.
She said the expanded hospice will be a wonderful contribution to Wellington County.
Earlier this year, Wellington County council voted to provide $400,000 to help build the facility.
The recommendation to include that money in the county budget was made by the finance committee. Guelph itself provided $1-million for the project, to be spread over five years.
Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge was unable to attend, but sent a letter of congratulations.
She wrote, “I am delighted that, with the new residential facility, Hospice Wellington will be able to provide even better service and care to those who are dying or bereaved.
The City of Guelph was proud to provide $1-million in support for this important project. I would like to recognize the incredible generosity of the people of Guelph and Wellington County, who donated an astounding $2.2 million for this project.”
Other donors to the project included:
– $600,000 in estate gifts;
– $1.6-million from individuals, families, and businesses; and
– $1.2-million from Ontario.
