The project is expected to start in 2023 and construction is expected to last about 14 months
Federal Grant of $ 9.37 million announced on Monday Supports Local Ronald McDonald House Fundraiser is very close to the $ 18.9 million needed to drive ambitious expansion.
With the newly expanded, zero-net carbon emissions LEED Gold Standard building, Ronald McDonald House Charity Ottawa (RMHCO) will each be in the city for medical care. You will be able to support an additional 347 families traveling. This year, its CEO, Christine Hardy, said.
"We're excited. Without this grant, we couldn't build it right away," she said.
RMHCO's funding currently remains $ 3.1 million. The project is scheduled to begin in 2023 and construction is expected to last approximately 14 months.
RMHCO opened its doors to sick children and their families in June 1984. It is one of Canada's first five homes built to reduce family accommodation while a child is being treated in a hospital. The Ottawa facility is currently part of a network of 16 homes across Canada.
The original RMHCO on Smyth Road now has a suite about the size of a motel room with a private bathroom suitable for 2 adults and 2 children. There are 14 rooms.
RMHCO's 25,000-square-foot expansion adds 22 suites of capacity, adding a total of 36 suites and new common areas such as the kitchen. “One of the family identifications in focus groups was the need for a quiet dining area for families with children with eating disorders,” Hardy said.
Accommodations are designed to accommodate other types of family structures, such as divorced parents, and improve the accessibility of the building.
Currently, RMHCO can only serve families living more than 80 km from CHEO, and in most cases there is a waiting list, Hardy says.
This facility was originally built to accommodate families with children who are being treated for cancer. However, it has expanded to include patients receiving treatment for a wide range of conditions, from organ transplants to eating disorders. According to Hardy, families come from all over Canada and far from Europe to get special treatment for their children.
Federal funding comes from the Green and Comprehensive Community Building Program of Canada Infrastructure.
This program includes environmentally friendly refurbishment, repair or upgrade of existing public community buildings, and construction of new buildings to serve the needy communities throughout Canada. $ 1.5 billion has been spent in five years. At least 10% of the funding goes to projects that serve indigenous peoples, including indigenous peoples in urban areas, the Inuit and Metis communities. The
RMHCO project will also be built on the Canadian Green Building Council's Zero Carbon Building Standards. This reduces the impact on the environment and at the same time makes the building more resistant to power outages and changes in energy prices.
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