Ontario Construction Report staff writer
The construction of the 348-bed Rekai Centre at Cherry Place in Toronto’s West Don Lands has reached grade, celebrating a significant milestone for this 255,000-sq. ft. long-term care and healthcare facility.
This 13-storey building is being created as a Campus of Care that will bring together long-term care, healthcare services, education, and community resources in the developing waterfront area, just steps away from Corktown Commons Park.
Multiplex is serving as the general contractor while Montgomery Sisam is the design architect. The Rekai Centres is the owner of the project.
“George Brown Polytechnic is pleased to partner with The Rekai Centres on a new Education Centre,” said Dr. Gervan Fearon, President, George Brown Polytechnic. “By bringing education and practice together, we can provide our students with meaningful experiential learning while contributing to the development of a skilled healthcare workforce and strengthening care in our communities.”
The project aims to open its doors in 2028 and will feature 348 long-term care beds, including 96 dedicated for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia along with 22 beds in Rekai’s Rainbow Wing that supports members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and their allies.
The facility will also have specific floors for dementia care, an Infection Control Zone, and a dialysis clinic.
A new Education Centre is being developed through a partnership between The Rekai Centres and George Brown Polytechnic to provide healthcare students with practical training in an active long-term care setting. This program will help train Personal Support Workers, registered nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
This collaboration builds on an existing relationship between George Brown Polytechnic and The Rekai Centres aimed at linking education with clinical practice while working towards enhancing the healthcare workforce.
Life Labs will manage a ground-floor Patient Service Centre within the facility which will offer laboratory and diagnostic services to both Rekai residents and local community members.
This project has support from the Building Ontario Fund and is part of broader developments taking place in West Don Lands as well as along the waterfront area.
Peter Rekai, chair of the board of directors at The Rekai Centres stated that this initiative seeks to establish an integrated model of care enabling individuals to age within their own communities.
George Brown Polytechnic president Gervan Fearon mentioned that this Education Centre will provide students valuable hands-on experiences while fostering growth within the healthcare workforce.
Waterfront Toronto chief development officer Meg Davis pointed out that this project will enhance both healthcare services and senior-care offerings within this expanding community.
The project team includes contributions from Building Ontario Fund, Waterfront Toronto, George Brown Polytechnic as well as Life Labs.
The Rekai Centre at Cherry Place is expected to be finalized and ready for residents by 2028.
Source link
