By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
After a decade of tireless work, ground was officially broken on the new $66-million Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent on July 29.
The rain-drenched occasion was marked by a visit from Ontario Minister of Children, Community and Social Services Michael Parsa, who good-naturedly braved a downpour to turn the first shovel of dirt at the McNaughton Avenue site.
“Let’s do this!” Parsa exclaimed as he headed to a plywood platform before a large crowd of supporters. He was assisted by CTCC-K Foundation executive director Mike Genge, who held an umbrella over the minister in a failed attempt to keep him dry.
The province has committed $59 million toward construction of the 58,000 square-foot facility, and site preparation work is already in motion. The CTCC-K Foundation has raised $9.5 million towards the new centre by way of community donations and fundraising, and has another $500,000 in its sights to meet its $10-million goal.
When speaking to reporters, Parsa said getting the treatment centre across the finish line is “truly a team effort.
“Our populations are growing across the province and there’s a need for this service and we recognize that, which is why we are investing in programs and services that families need and rely on,” Parsa said. “This is a great day.”
CTCC-K chief executive officer Donna Litwin-Makey said the new facility is double the size of the current building, increases accessibility, provides more space for a wide range of services and brings more of what it has to offer under one roof.
Plus, she said, the centre is a safe place for children and their families.
“Our families are incredible,” Litwin-Makey added. “This is a place to come in the community where they can be themselves. I hear parents say they can walk in and kind of put their shoulders down and someone will step forward and help them with their child.”
Litwin-Makey said the new build, expected to be completed in spring 2026, will help alleviate wait times for children and youth seeking services. Currently, the centre is assisting 3,700 children and youth with special needs and there are between 700 to 800 kids on the wait list.
Services provided by CTCC-K include speech/language pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, services for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, audiology, respite services, autism services, as well as co-ordination of care for young clients with complex needs.
Speech therapy and occupational therapy are the two services that are highest in demand, Litwin-Makey said.
Genge said the seed was sown for a new CTCC-K facility in 2015 when local businessman Michael Grail and Mayor Darrin Canniff, then a C-K councillor, approached Genge with the idea of a capital fundraising plan. At the time there were 1,000 children waiting for services at the children’s treatment centre.
“Right away the community understood that having a child without services that they needed wasn’t acceptable,” Genge said. “Our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Chatham-Kent–Leamington MPP Trevor Jones was lauded by both Parsa and Litwin-Makey for supporting the project and moving it forward.
“He really understands the service and what it means for families and has given us the momentum we needed,” she said.
In the fall, the CTCC-K will be conducting a two-week fundraising campaign called Build for the Kids.
