Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty (right) and Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal meet with five-year-old Spencer Davis at Five Counties Children’s Centre March 27. (Photo by Jennifer Higgs)
Province funds $1.3M capital expansion at Peterborough children’s centre
Tuesday, March 27, 2007 -- Jason Thompson
After working in a portable space for the past 18 years, Diane Pick and the staff at Five Counties Children’s Centre in Peterborough are looking forward to a permanent addition to their building.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was at Five Counties Tuesday (March 27) for a tour of the facility and to announce a $1.3 million capital investment at the centre.
The investment will allow Five Counties to do away with 3,700 square feet of portable space and construct a 7,200 square feet expansion. The portables currently house the centre’s augmentative communication service.
The portables were erected 18 years ago and at the time, were intended to be a temporary solution to accommodate the growth of Five Counties. The portables have no running water or washrooms and feature narrow corridors and doorways. Pick says the cramped space presents accessibility challenges to a number of children who rely on the services at Five Counties.
“I understand you’re eager to move beyond the portable stage and to have a permanent building so that you can house the services and supports that you provide to children and young people here,” says McGuinty.
Julie Davis, whose five-year-old son Spencer receives support at Five Counties, says she would be lost and wouldn’t know where to get help for her son without the assistance provided there.
“They have been absolutely tremendous for us,” Davis says. “Everyone knows about Sick Kids because they do get a lot of publicity, so these types of centres and organizations definitely need that publicity as well to make people more aware.”
Ontario Association of Children’s Rehabilitation Services executive director Vicki Earle and Five Counties CEO Diane Pick both say the centre is in desperate need of capital funding.
“This investment will replace aging infrastructure that is not fully accessible and has numerous challenges. The re-development will expand the existing centre and provide enhanced co-ordination and physical access for all of our programs and services,” Pick says.
Now that the money has been announced, Pick says she and the staff at Five Counties will work with consultants to design the new space before putting the project out to tender.