ABOYNE – Getting close to the initial fundraising goal for the planned rural Wellington County hospice site in under a year lends a lot of credit in a funding application to the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Clarissa Burke, a local family doctor and member of the Aboyne Rural Hospice’s advisory board, said in a phone interview they are very close to reaching the initial $2.5 million fundraising goal for the 10-bed hospice site.
Although in the works for many years, the Aboyne Rural Hospice site really got going when the County of Wellington committed to donating a two-acre piece of land for the hospice at Wellington Place near Groves Memorial Community Hospital in 2022.
Official fundraising didn’t start until fall 2023 with a community kick-off event and a recent curling event which raised $50,000.
“We’re so thrilled with how things have been going, it’s really the community support that has been incredible to get us here in such a short period of time,” Burke said, declining to give the exact total of where fundraising is beyond being “very close.”
The $2.5 million is an important figure when it comes to applying to the Ministry of Health because Burke said it demonstrates the facility is feasible.
“That number comes from what is required of us, as part of our Ministry of Health application, $2.5 million represents to the ministry that we have the necessary community support and fundraising abilities,” Burke said.
It’s also significant for the ministry's hospice capital program, which Burke said could see the province match the $2.5 million with its own funds towards the project.
Even with $5 million, it’s still a ways off from the total campaign goal of $13 million.
“That’s based on what we anticipate for total construction costs, plus ancillary costs which would include landscaping and furnishing, plus two years of initial operating costs,” Burke said.
In the meantime, site preparation work is in order to determine precisely where the building will go and what the best layout may be although one issue needs to be worked out to proceed with this.
Burke said the site is in an excellent location but does have drainage issues which will require collaboration with the county and township based on the origin of the water and where it will go.
At an information, heritage and seniors committee meeting held earlier in the month, the committee were made aware of the drainage issue and the potential $75,000 price tag — although CAO Scott Wilson said he suspected $75,000 was just the start.
The county had only committed to giving land but the committee saw value in further assisting the hospice site financially when it came to the land. The committee directed staff to investigate the drainage issue further and to bring a report back at a later date.
Ultimately, Burke said when shovels will go into the ground will largely depend on the ministry but the board’s hope is to do so within three to five years.
More information on the Aboyne Rural Hospice can be found here.
