Frequently Asked Questions growing for children and youth
Last Updated: April 2010
Please note that these will be updated regularly as we obtain more information and refine our plans
What is Grandview Children's Centre currently doing to help children and youth with special needs?
- We currently serve about 4,300 children and youth with special needs and their families each year.
- We provide outpatient rehabilitation services including Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech Language Pathology, Audiology, Social Work and Medical Services as well as recreation programs and other services.
- Last year, nearly 2,000 children were referred to Grandview!
- Grandview has well over 1,000 children on the wait list.
- Wait times vary from 6 months to 16 months, depending on therapies required.
- We expect the wait list and wait times to grow as Durham Region’s population continues to grow – the youth population is expected to increase by about 15% over the next 10 years. It is well understood that the earlier we provide needed therapy services to children with special needs, the more successful the outcomes.
Why does Grandview need new facilities?
- The Oshawa site was built in 1983 and sadly the building, as well as the parking area, has been vastly outgrown.
- Grandview is leasing space in Whitby and Ajax – the lease costs come out of our operating budget. We cannot lease more space because we would have to reduce staff costs in order to do so.
- We could be more efficient in the way we deliver services if we had adequate, well-designed space (and potentially could serve more children).
- Consolidating Grandview under “one roof” means that clients and families will have access to all Grandview’s “on-site” services and programs at one location.
- The Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) provided Grandview with a grant to plan for redevelopment.
- MCYS requested that we submit a proposal for expanded facilities, recognizing that we have insufficient space.
What is the vision for the new Children’s Centre?
We have developed a vision that is based on input received during our strategic planning process and on research undertaken by the Consultants for this project. Our vision is for one multi-service Children’s Centre situated in a more central location for Durham Region. Campbell Children’s School and two small agencies will be co-located with Grandview, as well as the Grandview Children’s Foundation.
How many children will the new building serve?
Currently we see about 1,150 children and youth each month and about 4,300 different children and youth each year. Most of the new space will be needed to address current needs. We hope that more flexible and efficient use of space will allow us to expand our services in the future to address waitlists and to better serve children and youth, once operational dollars become available.
Will Campbell Children’s School be part of the new Children’s Centre?
Yes. Children enrolled in Campbell Children’s School are those who benefit from intensive therapy provided by Grandview Children's Centre staff. The operational budget for Campbell Children’s School is funded by the Ministry of Education.
Will the Ajax and Whitby satellites still be operating after the new Children’s Centre opens?
While there are benefits to having satellite offices, we experience some challenges with the decentralized arrangements. We face administrative challenges and inefficiencies in operating out of several locations, including lease costs. The Consultants’ analysis supports the consolidation of the Ajax and Whitby satellites with the Oshawa site into one new building in a more central location in the Region – offering all of our services to families under “one roof”.
Will there be any satellites?
We will likely continue to offer some services in a few small community outreach locations.
What will the new Children’s Centre look like?
It will be a fully accessible, child and youth-friendly environment. We hope to have sufficient land and funding that will permit us to have an accessible, safe playground, accessible and wheel-chair friendly trails, a wheel-chair training area, a sensory garden and other therapeutic landscaping.
Why can’t Grandview expand at the Oshawa site?
While the Oshawa site has served us well since 1983, there is not enough land to expand here, and the construction of the building does not permit a second storey. The architects recommend a site of at least 7-8 acres in size for our new facilities. The approximate size of the Oshawa site is 4 acres.
Who are the consultants helping Grandview with the planning?
Integration Planning Resources Inc. (IPR) were selected by Grandview as the planning consultants. IPR is a multi-disciplinary Canadian-owned healthcare consulting firm that has recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary. IPR played a key role in developing the proposal for new facilities that was submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services at the end of September 2009. This proposal included a business case with an analysis of options and investigation of potential sites. (For more information check out www.ipr.ca)
Who are the architects?
Stantec Architecture Ltd. was selected by Grandview as the architectural firm. Stantec architects specialize in the creation of client-focused and supportive environments. Established in 1954, Stantec has steadily grown and evolved and is now one of Canada’s premiere healthcare architecture practices. Stantec has developed guidelines that help ensure significantly better indoor air quality, increased flexibility of the building, reduction of operating and maintenance costs, the use of less natural resources and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. (For more information check out www.stantec.com)
Vertechs Design Inc. is a full service landscape architectural practice specializing in therapeutic landscapes for healthcare settings. Experiencing nature provides a restorative experience for people with special needs, and enhances an individual’s sense of well-being and health. (For more information check out www.vertechsdesign.com)
How were the consultants and architects selected?
Grandview issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) to several consultants and architects that were recommended/had experience working with similar children’s centres. The RFP reflected the requirements of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.
Proposals were received from four different partnerships of architects and consultants. An internal advisory group used a rigorous selection process. This hard work resulted in a recommendation for a preferred partnership being submitted to Grandview’s Board of Trustees for consideration. Based on this recommendation and a presentation from the preferred partnership, the Board endorsed the selection of the partnership of Stantec and IPR.
Where did the money come from to pay for the consultants and architects?
We are fortunate that the then Minister of Children and Youth Services, the Honourable Deb Matthews, approved a grant for planning for site redevelopment.
What services will be available for children and youth and their families?
Most of the services that will be offered are already being provided by Grandview. Additional services will be added depending on the availability of resources. We are likely to offer:
- Developmental paediatrics
- Orthotic clinic
- Occupational therapy
- Orthopaedic clinic
- Physiotherapy
- Audiology
- Speech language pathology
- Disability awareness program
- Family support services
- Psychology
- Recreation therapy
- Family resource centre
- Preschool outreach
- Aqua-therapy (pool)
- Dietician
- School health support services1
- Expanded augmentative communications2
- Muscle Tone Clinic
- Blind-low vision program
- Teen Group
- Campbell Children’s School
- We hope to expand the current pilot project
- New program we hope to offer, pending approval of operating budget
How will the new Children’s Centre better serve children and youth with special needs?
The new Centre will provide better designed treatment space, with additional treatment areas, so that we can offer more group therapy programs and increased educational/training opportunities for parents, as well as improved confidentiality and accessibility. There will be better entrances and adequate parking, as well as improved accessible washrooms, and other enhancements to help us to better serve children and youth, and their families.
Will the building be environmentally friendly?
Stantec has LEED® accredited professionals on staff and is committed to looking for opportunities to use sustainable design strategies in the areas of site planning and storm water management, water conservation, energy conservation, materials selection and use, interior air quality and construction-site waste management.
Where will the new building be located?
It has been decided to consolidate Grandview into one location, more central to the Region than our current main Oshawa site. Current analysis has identified that the site will likely be in the Town of Ajax.
How much will the new building cost?
The total project is currently estimated to cost about $41 million. This includes the cost of land, construction, equipment, furnishings, parking, landscaping and playground.
Where will the money come from, for the new building?
The Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS), if the Ministry approves the planning and preliminary design, will subsidize this cost. MCYS has advised that we are eligible to apply for funding of most of the cost of the project. We have applied to MCYS for $35 million. The remaining costs will be covered through fund-raising. Grandview Children’s Foundation is planning a capital campaign with a goal of $6 million.
When will the new building open?
The Ontario Government has recently put all capital projects on hold, pending a review. A new capital infrastructure plan will be released by the Ontario Government in 2011. When we obtain approval, the architects will start work on the detailed design drawings and specifications, and we will go out to tender to select a construction company. We hope to start construction in 2012 and to open in 2013.
Will the new Children’s Centre be on a bus route?
One of the selection criteria for land would be that it must be on a bus route.
Is there a business plan?
A business plan was submitted as part of the proposal to MCYS.
How can I provide my suggestions and ideas?
Please email your suggestions/ideas/comments directly to lorraine.sunstrum-mann@grtc.ca Thank you!
Who should I ask if I have questions?
If you have questions about the planning and design of the new children’s centre, please contact Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann, Executive Director, Grandview Children's Centre at lorraine.sunstrum-mann@grtc.ca
If you have questions about Campbell Children’s School, please contact Sue Gualdieri, Principal, at sue.gualdieri@grtc.ca
If you have questions about the Grandview Children’s Foundation, please contact Vicky Earle, Executive Director, Grandview Children’s Foundation at vicky.earle@grtc.ca
Thank you for your interest in the planning for a new children’s centre in Durham!!
If you have a suggestion for a question that should be added to this list, please email lorraine.sunstrum-mann@grtc.ca. Thank you!