The Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent has finally received provincial funding to move ahead with planning for the construction of a new facility.
The centre's executive director, Donna Litwin-Makey, said everyone is excited about moving forward with plans to build a new centre on McNaughton Avenue West near Fergie Jenkins Parkway in Chatham, after receiving $300,000 from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.
The centre was originally expecting the funding announcement back in March.
She said the funds will be used to update and finalize the size of the new building. Centre officials will also be able to confirm the layout of the new location and determine the best flow for clients and their families throughout the specialized paediatric service space.
The current location of the centre on Lark Street in Chatham is not able to house all services needed by local children and families, according to Client Ambassador Ashley Gialelem. The centre's current building, which was originally built to serve 240 children and youth, is bursting at the seams with more than 5,000 children in therapy and another 1,200 on the waiting list.
Gialelem said COVID-19 has also created new challenges that have further restricted accessibility at the centre.
“Social isolation is a real concern for individuals with disabilities. A new centre with space for groups, therapy and recreation programs will meet a critical need. Input gained from our clients and families is guiding the planning process and we are all looking forward to our new build with full accessibility and space for all our needs,” said Gialelem.
While the planning process can begin with the announcement of government funding, the centre still needs another $22 million before construction can begin on the new building. However, the community recently stepped up to raise nearly $6 million for the cost of the new building.
The contract to build the centre's new location was awarded to ROA Studio Inc. following a competitive bidding process. The new state-of-the-art facility is expected to take about 30 months to build from start to finish.