LnRiLWJ1dHRvbntjb2xvcjojZjFmMWYxfS50Yi1idXR0b24tLWxlZnR7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpsZWZ0fS50Yi1idXR0b24tLWNlbnRlcnt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOmNlbnRlcn0udGItYnV0dG9uLS1yaWdodHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOnJpZ2h0fS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbmt7Y29sb3I6aW5oZXJpdDtjdXJzb3I6cG9pbnRlcjtkaXNwbGF5OmlubGluZS1ibG9jaztsaW5lLWhlaWdodDoxMDAlO3RleHQtZGVjb3JhdGlvbjpub25lICFpbXBvcnRhbnQ7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpjZW50ZXI7dHJhbnNpdGlvbjphbGwgMC4zcyBlYXNlfS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbms6aG92ZXIsLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fbGluazpmb2N1cywudGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5rOnZpc2l0ZWR7Y29sb3I6aW5oZXJpdH0udGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5rOmhvdmVyIC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2NvbnRlbnQsLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fbGluazpmb2N1cyAudGItYnV0dG9uX19jb250ZW50LC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbms6dmlzaXRlZCAudGItYnV0dG9uX19jb250ZW50e2ZvbnQtZmFtaWx5OmluaGVyaXQ7Zm9udC1zdHlsZTppbmhlcml0O2ZvbnQtd2VpZ2h0OmluaGVyaXQ7bGV0dGVyLXNwYWNpbmc6aW5oZXJpdDt0ZXh0LWRlY29yYXRpb246aW5oZXJpdDt0ZXh0LXNoYWRvdzppbmhlcml0O3RleHQtdHJhbnNmb3JtOmluaGVyaXR9LnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fY29udGVudHt2ZXJ0aWNhbC1hbGlnbjptaWRkbGU7dHJhbnNpdGlvbjphbGwgMC4zcyBlYXNlfS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2ljb257dHJhbnNpdGlvbjphbGwgMC4zcyBlYXNlO2Rpc3BsYXk6aW5saW5lLWJsb2NrO3ZlcnRpY2FsLWFsaWduOm1pZGRsZTtmb250LXN0eWxlOm5vcm1hbCAhaW1wb3J0YW50fS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2ljb246OmJlZm9yZXtjb250ZW50OmF0dHIoZGF0YS1mb250LWNvZGUpO2ZvbnQtd2VpZ2h0Om5vcm1hbCAhaW1wb3J0YW50fS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbmt7YmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvcjojNDQ0O2JvcmRlci1yYWRpdXM6MC4zZW07Zm9udC1zaXplOjEuM2VtO21hcmdpbi1ib3R0b206MC43NmVtO3BhZGRpbmc6MC41NWVtIDEuNWVtIDAuNTVlbX0gLnRiLWJ1dHRvbltkYXRhLXRvb2xzZXQtYmxvY2tzLWJ1dHRvbj0iM2RjN2M0YjFhOTQyNThiZTYwMTIzNGU2MzcyMDZlYzAiXSB7IHRleHQtYWxpZ246IGNlbnRlcjsgfSAudGItYnV0dG9uW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtYnV0dG9uPSIzZGM3YzRiMWE5NDI1OGJlNjAxMjM0ZTYzNzIwNmVjMCJdIC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbmsgeyBiYWNrZ3JvdW5kLWNvbG9yOiByZ2JhKCA0MSwgMTcwLCAyMjUsIDEgKTsgfSAudGItYnV0dG9uW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtYnV0dG9uPSIzZGM3YzRiMWE5NDI1OGJlNjAxMjM0ZTYzNzIwNmVjMCJdIC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2ljb24geyBmb250LWZhbWlseTogZGFzaGljb25zOyB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNzgxcHgpIHsgLnRiLWJ1dHRvbntjb2xvcjojZjFmMWYxfS50Yi1idXR0b24tLWxlZnR7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpsZWZ0fS50Yi1idXR0b24tLWNlbnRlcnt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOmNlbnRlcn0udGItYnV0dG9uLS1yaWdodHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOnJpZ2h0fS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbmt7Y29sb3I6aW5oZXJpdDtjdXJzb3I6cG9pbnRlcjtkaXNwbGF5OmlubGluZS1ibG9jaztsaW5lLWhlaWdodDoxMDAlO3RleHQtZGVjb3JhdGlvbjpub25lICFpbXBvcnRhbnQ7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpjZW50ZXI7dHJhbnNpdGlvbjphbGwgMC4zcyBlYXNlfS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbms6aG92ZXIsLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fbGluazpmb2N1cywudGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5rOnZpc2l0ZWR7Y29sb3I6aW5oZXJpdH0udGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5rOmhvdmVyIC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2NvbnRlbnQsLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fbGluazpmb2N1cyAudGItYnV0dG9uX19jb250ZW50LC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbms6dmlzaXRlZCAudGItYnV0dG9uX19jb250ZW50e2ZvbnQtZmFtaWx5OmluaGVyaXQ7Zm9udC1zdHlsZTppbmhlcml0O2ZvbnQtd2VpZ2h0OmluaGVyaXQ7bGV0dGVyLXNwYWNpbmc6aW5oZXJpdDt0ZXh0LWRlY29yYXRpb246aW5oZXJpdDt0ZXh0LXNoYWRvdzppbmhlcml0O3RleHQtdHJhbnNmb3JtOmluaGVyaXR9LnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fY29udGVudHt2ZXJ0aWNhbC1hbGlnbjptaWRkbGU7dHJhbnNpdGlvbjphbGwgMC4zcyBlYXNlfS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2ljb257dHJhbnNpdGlvbjphbGwgMC4zcyBlYXNlO2Rpc3BsYXk6aW5saW5lLWJsb2NrO3ZlcnRpY2FsLWFsaWduOm1pZGRsZTtmb250LXN0eWxlOm5vcm1hbCAhaW1wb3J0YW50fS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2ljb246OmJlZm9yZXtjb250ZW50OmF0dHIoZGF0YS1mb250LWNvZGUpO2ZvbnQtd2VpZ2h0Om5vcm1hbCAhaW1wb3J0YW50fS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbmt7YmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvcjojNDQ0O2JvcmRlci1yYWRpdXM6MC4zZW07Zm9udC1zaXplOjEuM2VtO21hcmdpbi1ib3R0b206MC43NmVtO3BhZGRpbmc6MC41NWVtIDEuNWVtIDAuNTVlbX0gfSBAbWVkaWEgb25seSBzY3JlZW4gYW5kIChtYXgtd2lkdGg6IDU5OXB4KSB7IC50Yi1idXR0b257Y29sb3I6I2YxZjFmMX0udGItYnV0dG9uLS1sZWZ0e3RleHQtYWxpZ246bGVmdH0udGItYnV0dG9uLS1jZW50ZXJ7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpjZW50ZXJ9LnRiLWJ1dHRvbi0tcmlnaHR7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpyaWdodH0udGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5re2NvbG9yOmluaGVyaXQ7Y3Vyc29yOnBvaW50ZXI7ZGlzcGxheTppbmxpbmUtYmxvY2s7bGluZS1oZWlnaHQ6MTAwJTt0ZXh0LWRlY29yYXRpb246bm9uZSAhaW1wb3J0YW50O3RleHQtYWxpZ246Y2VudGVyO3RyYW5zaXRpb246YWxsIDAuM3MgZWFzZX0udGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5rOmhvdmVyLC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbms6Zm9jdXMsLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fbGluazp2aXNpdGVke2NvbG9yOmluaGVyaXR9LnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fbGluazpob3ZlciAudGItYnV0dG9uX19jb250ZW50LC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbms6Zm9jdXMgLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fY29udGVudCwudGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5rOnZpc2l0ZWQgLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9fY29udGVudHtmb250LWZhbWlseTppbmhlcml0O2ZvbnQtc3R5bGU6aW5oZXJpdDtmb250LXdlaWdodDppbmhlcml0O2xldHRlci1zcGFjaW5nOmluaGVyaXQ7dGV4dC1kZWNvcmF0aW9uOmluaGVyaXQ7dGV4dC1zaGFkb3c6aW5oZXJpdDt0ZXh0LXRyYW5zZm9ybTppbmhlcml0fS50Yi1idXR0b25fX2NvbnRlbnR7dmVydGljYWwtYWxpZ246bWlkZGxlO3RyYW5zaXRpb246YWxsIDAuM3MgZWFzZX0udGItYnV0dG9uX19pY29ue3RyYW5zaXRpb246YWxsIDAuM3MgZWFzZTtkaXNwbGF5OmlubGluZS1ibG9jazt2ZXJ0aWNhbC1hbGlnbjptaWRkbGU7Zm9udC1zdHlsZTpub3JtYWwgIWltcG9ydGFudH0udGItYnV0dG9uX19pY29uOjpiZWZvcmV7Y29udGVudDphdHRyKGRhdGEtZm9udC1jb2RlKTtmb250LXdlaWdodDpub3JtYWwgIWltcG9ydGFudH0udGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5re2JhY2tncm91bmQtY29sb3I6IzQ0NDtib3JkZXItcmFkaXVzOjAuM2VtO2ZvbnQtc2l6ZToxLjNlbTttYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tOjAuNzZlbTtwYWRkaW5nOjAuNTVlbSAxLjVlbSAwLjU1ZW19IH0g

The New Grandview Kids – The Jerry Coughlan Building

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Following three days of orientation for members of Team Grandview, on November 14, 2024, Grandview Kids officially opened the doors to its long-awaited Ajax-based headquarters, The Jerry Coughlan Building. This remarkable, fully accessible, state-of-the-art Children’s Treatment Centre was designed to support more than 6,000 children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs. Building on the exceptional talent and skillset of Team Grandview’s physicians, leadership, clinicians, administrative and support staff, the new, larger facility enables Grandview Kids to expand and enhance existing services and introduce new ones, better meeting the rapidly growing demand of the Durham Region community.

Watch the video below, in which Grandview Kids CEO Tom McHugh and Chief Financial Officer and Executive Lead, Corporate Services, Harry Deeg, detail our journey to complete the construction of The Jerry Coughlan Building last year.

Opening The Jerry Coughlan Building

With a focus on hope, belonging, discovery and celebration, The Jerry Coughlan Building supports the seamless and coordinated provision of family-centred care for children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs. It is an open, welcoming and inclusive community-based paediatric facility, offering an integrated mix of rehabilitation, medical and clinical services, as well as education and research activities.

This facility is a direct reflection of our values—a place where we can continue to foster belonging, exemplify excellence, create connection, encourage discovery and inspire celebration. It’s a space that will help us continue our mission of supporting children and youth to live, learn and play, where we will strengthen our partnerships with clients, families and the community.

Quick facts

The 100,306-square-foot building is spread across four storeys and features a welcome playground, sunken garden, two gymnasiums for therapy and play, therapy pool, outdoor terrace, Family Resource Centre (with an express branch of the Ajax Public Library), volunteer-led café and outdoor sensory trail.

The entire facility and the surrounding area are fully accessible.

The building has been designed for a LEED Silver designation.

Due to the size and scope of this project, Grandview Kids entered into a public-private partnership (P3) with Infrastructure Ontario (IO). In April 2022, the Children First Consortium was selected as the preferred proponent to design, build and finance the project.

Orienting Team Grandview to The Jerry Coughlan Building

On Wednesday, November 6, Grandview Kids marked the last day of clinical services at our 600 Townline, Airport Blvd., Whitby Mall and Ajax (Discovery Bay) sites. Following a series of emotional and memory-filled packing days at these now-closed sites, on November 11, 2024, The Jerry Coughlan Building opened its doors to all of Team Grandview for an intensive, three-day orientation. The orientation was full of team bonding, training and setting the stage for an incredible journey ahead.

Over the three-day orientation, Team Grandview was randomly divided into several groups to engage with key topics, including using the building’s features on all levels and outdoor spaces, security procedures, emergency protocols, workstation access, office etiquette and more. Staff were also provided with digital and physical copies of an orientation handbook. This comprehensive guide details everything staff need to know about working in our new space, from facilities to policies and procedures. In addition to these focused orientation sessions and resources, all staff were given team and discipline-specific training to ensure they felt equipped with the knowledge needed to provide services at The Jerry Coughlan Building.

Photos of Team Grandview during our staff orientation days.

We thank everyone on Team Grandview who inspired this space throughout our orientation sessions with their hard work and commitment to helping every child and youth live at their full potential. We also want to extend a special thanks to Grandview Kids’ Operational Readiness Team, Stacey Cutting, Athmeka Yogenthiran, Candice Hiltz, Kathy Sparrow, Shannon Lock and Yeldah Yousfi, for all their efforts to ready the building and Team Grandview for orientation. Thanks also to our Building Services and IT teams for all their work behind the scenes leading up to orientation.

Celebrating the opening of The Jerry Coughlan Building

On November 14, 2024, Grandview Kids was thrilled to welcome its first clients to The Jerry Coughlan Building, shifting our attention to optimizing the new headquarters to elevate the experiences of our clients, caregivers and families. This space was designed with clients, caregivers and families at its heart—spaces that encourage collaboration, comfort and care, ensuring that every child and youth who comes through these doors feels supported and empowered to thrive.

Between then and March 31, 2025, 6,491 appointments for direct service were booked at this location. As our new home base is situated in West Durham, we look forward to leveraging this ideal location and our satellite sites to broaden our reach for a more equitable service delivery model in the Durham Region.

The first clients at The Jerry Coughlan Building. Pictured (left to right): Kara (mother), Teagan, Logan and Dr. Carolyn Hunt.

Following our first appointments at The Jerry Coughlan Building, we hosted a series of exciting events in late 2024 to celebrate the opening of the space with elected officials, members of our community and our community partners.

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

On November 15, 2024, we welcomed members of federal and provincial governments, our construction partners, members of the Grandview Kids community and the media to witness the formal ribbon-cutting at The Jerry Coughlan Building. It was a day we’d all been working toward, dreaming about and building together for a decade. At the event, in addition to Grandview Kids CEO Tom McHugh, we were honoured to receive remarks from Ontario’s Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Michael Parsa, Ontario’s Minister of Finance and Pickering-Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Durham MPP Todd McCarthy and representatives from Amico Design Build Inc. We were also privileged to receive touching remarks from Grandview Kids Board Director, Leisa Ackerblade. As a member of the “Grandview Parent Task Force,” formed in 2014 to advocate for a new headquarters for Grandview Kids, Leisa shared her lived experiences as a Grandview parent, highlighting the significance of the moment.

Municipal Welcome Event

On November 22, 2024, we hosted our Municipal Welcome Event, recognizing the contributions of the Regional Municipality of Durham, the Town of Ajax and every local municipality supported by our new Ajax headquarters. We are thankful for our municipal partners’ continued support, including the monetary and land donations that enabled this project to come to life.

Partner Open House

Also on November 22, 2024, we hosted our Partner Open House. Leaders from local and provincial partner organizations were given an opportunity to drop into the building for tours guided by members of Team Grandview.

Community Open House

On November 23, 2024, Grandview Kids welcomed just under 1,000 members of the public, including clients, families, staff, donors and beyond, to join us for guided tours of some parts of the building. Supported by members of Team Grandview, these groups were given tours of all of the exciting features and spaces in our new headquarters shortly after our formal Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony.

Donor Grand Opening Event

On December 17, 2024, Grandview Kids Foundation hosted over 150 Believe Campaign donors at The Jerry Coughlan Building for the first time, featuring a formal reception, speeches, and a tour of the facility. The Foundation-led event honoured Lynn and Jerry Coughlan (the namesake of our Ajax headquarters), along with Terry Knox and George Vella, for their incredible kindness and friendship to Grandview Kids over the years. Lynn delivered remarks, highlighting Jerry’s admiration for Grandview Kids and his legacy, which will be felt in this space for generations to come. The event also celebrated the closure of the $20 million Believe Campaign through a formal presentation, speaking engagements from Grandview Kids CEO Tom McHugh and former Grandview Kids Foundation Board Chair Bryan Yetman, and a certificate presentation for Believe Campaign Ambassadors.

Planning a visit to The Jerry Coughlan Building? Learn more about what you can expect.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at these events to celebrate the opening of our new home, The Jerry Coughlan Building. We are excited to see what will be achieved within these walls because it is more than just a physical space; it represents everything we have achieved as a team, as a community and as advocates for the children and youth we serve. It’s a symbol of our growth, our resilience and the partnerships that have brought us here.

Maintaining satellites to keep care close to home

As we opened the doors of The Jerry Coughlan Building, we paid tribute to the legacy that has led us to this beautiful new space. We closed the doors to our Airport Blvd., Ajax (Westney) and Whitby Mall satellite sites.

We also said goodbye to our 600 Townline site, which many of us called home for decades. Grandview Kids is deeply grateful to 600 Townline for providing us with a recognizable, well-loved home in our community for 41 years, offering a dedicated space to work towards achieving our vision of every child and youth living at their full potential. While it no longer physically remains as one of our sites as we have outgrown the space, the legacy of 600 Townline and the fond memories we cherished there will always be remembered in our new home, The Jerry Coughlan Building, in features like our History Wall, archives display and through the heartfelt stories told by staff, clients and families.

While we bid farewell to these four storied locations, we continue to operate satellite locations in Bowmanville (Bowmanville Health Centre), Port Perry (SA Cawker), Whitby (Abilities Centres) and Oshawa (Dwyer). Maintaining these sites ensures high-quality care is accessible close to home for families across the Durham Region.

Art is being used to inspire a sense of awe and wonder

When designing the Atrium of The Jerry Coughlan Building, Grandview Kids was focused on ensuring the space felt as engaging, beautiful and welcoming as possible. One key addition to this space to enhance its warmth is the “Lovely Bugs” art installation. Inspired by physical bug art masterpieces handcrafted by Grandview Kids clients, Durham Region artists Fly Freeman and Francis Muscat created the art installation that now hangs freely. The stages of metamorphosis are visible in the cocoons, butterflies and other insects dotted throughout the wood-like mobile and signify the stages that Grandview Kids clients, families and staff members experience as we learn, play and grow together.

Watch the video below as those involved in creating the art installation discuss the significance that art plays in Children’s Treatment Centres and the journey towards conceptualizing and creating the “Lovely Bugs.”

Closing out the Grandview Kids Foundation’s Believe Campaign

In 2024-25, our partners at the Grandview Kids Foundation closed out their $20 million Believe Campaign. Launched publicly in 2018, the Believe Campaign made an incredible impact in Durham Region, engaging community members in support of the development of Grandview Kids’ new headquarters. Through powerful, heartfelt stories shared through campaign ambassadors, Grandview Kids Foundation communicated the direct impact Grandview Kids has had on its community since 1953 and how impactful the new, state-of-the-art headquarters would be for the clients and families the organization serves. Grandview Kids is incredibly grateful to the community and Foundation staff, volunteers and donors for their immense support in realizing the dream of a facility that supports seamless, family-centred and inclusive care.

Project funding

Funding for this facility was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS), the Government of Canada and Grandview Kids. Through the Grandview Kids Foundation’s Believe Campaign, Grandview Kids received two lead gifts: $5,000,000 from the late Mr. Jerry Coughlan and $5,035,000 from the Regional Municipality of Durham. In addition, the Town of Ajax has donated a five-acre parcel of land on Harwood Avenue North in Ajax, where the site stands.