Construction has started on a new 58,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent (CTC C-K).
The Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is giving $59 million in funding from the provincial government for the $65-million project that will help thousands of children with special needs and their families connect to rehabilitation services closer to home.
The fully accessible centre will replace the existing site and provide a larger, updated space for a team of professionals who provide a range of specialized rehabilitation and respite supports under one roof that include:
- Speech-language pathology
- Occupational therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Services for children and youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
- Audiology
- Respite services
- Ontario Autism Program services
- Co-ordinating care for children and youth with multiple and/or complex special needs
- Ontario Autism Program services.
Montgomery Sisam Architects Inc. designed the new centre and Norlon Builders London Ltd. was awarded the project after the CTC-CK Building Committee and board of directors underwent a fair and competitive process with support from Colliers Project Management.
“We are honoured to be granted this important contract,” says Jeremy Valeriote of Norlon Builders London Ltd. “We realize how important this new facility is to the Chatham-Kent community and are proud to be part of it.”
The new facility will also include full geothermal systems for heating and cooling, including a therapy pool that will be built to the spirit of LEED versus LEED certified, and will have indoor and outdoor programming space.
Following diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility practices, the new build will also feature a multi use prayer room, smudging space, foot bath, ceiling track lifts and ample turning radius for individuals with mobility equipment.
The build is 1.75 kilometres away from the current facility and will be more than double its size.
“We will be more efficient with servicing our caseload and this will enable more time to provide service to lower waiting times,” said Donna Litwin-Makey, executive director at the centre.
The CTC-CK currently has a caseload of 4,023 and has 785 on its waiting list.
To provide the balance of the estimated cost, Litwin-Makey said, “significant funds have been raised to date by our very generous Chatham-Kent community, and a campaign to finalize is targeted for this fall.”
Completion is estimated for spring 2026.