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Every Child And Youth Living Life At Their Full Potential

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Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health open Canada’s first anesthesia procedure clinic in a Children’s Treatment Centre

Media Release

Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health open Canada’s first anesthesia procedure clinic in a Children’s Treatment Centre

Logos representing Grandview Kids, Lakeridge Health and Lakeridge Health Foundation.

Durham Region – Children and youth with developmental needs in the Durham Region will now have access to more supportive, coordinated medical care as Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health open the Grandview Anesthesia Procedure (GAP) Clinic, thanks to $1 million in community donations through the Lakeridge Health Foundation. The GAP Clinic is the first-of-its-kind in Canada, made possible through a pioneering partnership between a Children’s Treatment Centre (CTC) and a hospital.

Located within the Medical Services area at Grandview Kids’ Ajax-based headquarters, The Jerry Coughlan Building, the GAP Clinic provides anesthesia-assisted care in a familiar, friendly environment close to home for Grandview Kids clients. Grandview Kids is Durham Region’s only CTC, supporting children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs to live, learn and play. Lakeridge Health provides access to one of Ontario’s most comprehensive health systems, with five hospitals, the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre and more than 30 locations delivering acute, ambulatory and long-term care.

For Grandview Kids parent Abby Valenciano, the GAP Clinic has been highly anticipated.

“My 10-year-old son lives with cerebral palsy and has needed up to 16 Botox injections in his legs without sedation every four to six months since he was four years old,” said Grandview Kids parent, Abby Valenciano. “These treatments are essential for managing his pain and supporting his independence. Each visit is difficult, heightening his anxiety and fear. As a parent, it is heartbreaking to watch him cry and struggle through every procedure. The only alternative has been hospital sedation, but for a medically complex child with a long history of hospitalizations, that environment only deepened his ‘white coat’ anxiety. The launch of the GAP Clinic is truly life-changing for families like ours. It offers a safer, more compassionate option that prioritizes children’s comfort.”

Members of Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health’s Senior Leadership and Medical Services Teams and Team Grandview members supporting the GAP Clinic, posing in The Jerry Coughlan Building’s Atrium.
Members of Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health’s Senior Leadership and Medical Services Teams and Team Grandview members supporting the GAP Clinic, posing in The Jerry Coughlan Building’s Atrium.

Starting on May 6, the GAP Clinic supports children and youth receiving botulinum toxin (Botox) injections to treat spasticity or dystonia caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy. Many clients require multiple injections during a single visit. Clients often experience pain, anxiety and distress when receiving this necessary care. Anesthesia reduces discomfort and improves the overall experience during medical procedures.

“The GAP Clinic represents an important step forward in how Grandview Kids supports children and youth with developmental needs,” said Tom McHugh, CEO of Grandview Kids. “Our Ajax-based headquarters was purpose-built to offer an advanced procedure room to support anesthesia-assisted care for the children and youth we serve. We are proud to watch this space reach its full potential less than 18 months after The Jerry Coughlan Building opened its doors. Thanks to our innovative partnership with Lakeridge Health and the support of Lakeridge Health Foundation’s donors, we can offer anesthesia-assisted procedures in a setting designed specifically for our clients. Together, we are creating a more accessible, comfortable and intentional care experience for families.”

Members of Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health’s Medical Services Teams and Team Grandview members supporting the GAP Clinic, posing in the Medical Services area at The Jerry Coughlan Building.
Members of Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health’s Medical Services Teams and Team Grandview members supporting the GAP Clinic, posing in the Medical Services area at The Jerry Coughlan Building.

“We’re proud to support the launch of the GAP Clinic alongside Grandview Kids,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health. “It’s an important step forward in making specialized care more accessible for children across Durham Region. By bringing anesthesia-supported procedures into a child-friendly setting, this clinic will help ease what can be a very difficult experience for families. We’re grateful to Grandview Kids, the Lakeridge Health Foundation and the many donors whose commitment has helped make this possible.”

Before the GAP Clinic was introduced, Grandview Kids clients requiring anesthesia for Botox injections were referred to Lakeridge Health Oshawa and treated in an operating room. The GAP Clinic enables care to be delivered in one place, from consultation to delivery. This centralization eliminates the need for hospital visits and minimizes stress, anxiety and travel for families.

“The GAP Clinic fills a critical gap in access to medical care for children and youth with complex physical needs,” said Dr. Carolyn Hunt, Medical Director and Executive Lead, Medical Services at Grandview Kids. “Our families have told us how difficult it is to access hospital-based care that meets the needs of their children. Grandview Kids’ expert Developmental Paediatricians and Lakeridge Health’s anesthesiology and surgical teams responded by bringing anesthesia-assisted procedures into a space designed for them. The GAP Clinic demonstrates what integrated, inclusive medical care looks like. I am excited for the future of the clinic as it helps more families receive the care they may not otherwise get without anesthesia.”

The GAP Clinic’s procedure room, showcasing its equipment, including a bed, anesthesia gas machine, rolling carts and other technological equipment, like computers on rolling stands.
The GAP Clinic’s procedure room.

Getting the GAP Clinic into operation was a collective effort made possible by the generous support of members of the Durham Region community. Much-needed equipment, such as the anesthesia gas machine in the space, was purchased with donor-raised funds from Lakeridge Health Foundation’s successful $1 million campaign.

“Lakeridge Health Foundation is committed to advancing health care throughout Durham Region, and we are thrilled to be part of this innovative partnership,” says Yves Gadler, CEO, Lakeridge Health Foundation. “By funding the equipment needs of the GAP Clinic, our donors are helping elevate an existing partnership and ensuring specialized care is available, close to home, for thousands of children and youth. Opportunities like this one are an example of how, together, we can transform the health care experience and provide the best possible care for families in our community and beyond.”

The opening of the GAP Clinic builds on the partnership between Grandview Kids and Lakeridge Health, first announced in 2025. The partnership represents a shared commitment to improving access to specialized, community-based care for children and youth with complex developmental needs and their families.

The GAP Clinic will operate once per month. Clients must attend an assessment with a Lakeridge Health anesthesiologist to determine whether care in the GAP Clinic is right for their needs.

About Grandview Kids

Founded in 1953, Grandview Kids is a family-centred, independently operated non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs to live, learn and play. Through specialized programs, rehabilitation services, outpatient clinical therapies and medical services delivered by a dedicated team of developmental paediatricians, Grandview Kids supports children and youth to live at their full potential. Learn more at grandviewkids.ca.

About Lakeridge Health

Lakeridge Health provides access to one of Ontario’s most comprehensive health systems, with five hospitals, the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre, and more than 30 locations delivering acute, ambulatory, and long-term care. It offers leading regional programs and specialized services, and is home to the Queen’s–Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program. Supported by nearly 9,000 staff and partners, Lakeridge Health advances research, education, and integrated care across Durham Region.

About Lakeridge Health Foundation

Lakeridge Health Foundation raises funds and awareness for both the Oshawa and Whitby sites of Lakeridge Health. The Foundation supports Lakeridge Health through generous donations from individuals and organizations, signature events, community partnerships and initiatives. In 2017, Lakeridge Health Foundation received distinguished accreditation for the Imagine Canada Standards Program, making the Foundation the first charity in Durham Region to uphold such a standard. For more information, visit www.lhfoundation.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Adrian Polidano, Communications and Marketing Manager

Grandview Kids | T: 437-703-3559 | E: adrian.polidano@grandviewkids.ca

Daina Robinson, Vice-President, Marketing & Community Engagement

Lakeridge Health Foundation | T: 905-391-0181 | E: darobinson@lh.ca

Sharon Navarro, Manager, Public Relations, Strategic Communications

Lakeridge Health | T: 905-435-7889 | E: snavarro@lh.ca

DURHAM REGION – Thousands of children and youth with developmental and physical disabilities in Durham Region will soon have access to improved and more personalized health care thanks to a new, first-of-its-kind in Canada and forward-thinking partnership between Lakeridge Health and Grandview Kids.

Grandview Kids, Durham Region’s only Children’s Treatment Centre and leader in supporting children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs, will house a state-of-the-art outpatient procedure room within The Jerry Coughlan Building—the Centre’s new Ajax-based headquarters. The space will enable monthly appointments for qualifying children and youth to receive procedures with sedation from Grandview Kids physicians and Lakeridge Health surgical and anesthesia staff.

Pictured: Grandview Kids’ Board Chair, Leo Plue, Grandview Kids’ Senior Leadership Team and Directors of Clinical and Client Services, Lakeridge Health’s Senior Leadership Team, Lakeridge Health Foundation’s Board of Directors and elected officials, including Whitby MPP Lorne Coe, Regional Chair John Henry, Deputy Mayor of the Town of Ajax Sterling Lee and Deputy Mayor of the Town of Whitby Rhonda Mulcahy.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Grandview Kids on this important initiative that will strengthen the health and well-being of families across Durham Region,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO of Lakeridge Health. “By expanding access to critical services for children and youth, we’re not just improving their care – we’re creating a more connected, supportive experience for families and everyone involved in their care journey. This collaboration is a powerful step toward building a truly integrated system of care, fully aligned with our vision of ‘One System. Best Health.’ A special thank you to the Lakeridge Health Foundation for helping bring this vision to life.”

“At Grandview Kids, we see thousands of children and youth in our medical clinics annually. We work directly with families to find creative and unique ways to support their health care needs, but it can be difficult to find local providers,” says Dr. Carolyn Hunt, Developmental Paediatrician and Medical Director at Grandview Kids. “Currently, Grandview Kids’ developmental paediatricians and clinical staff collaborate with Lakeridge Health to provide injections to our patients with cerebral palsy three times a year at their Oshawa hospital site. However, this program only supports a small percentage of our patients who would benefit from sedation-supported care. The new partnership will increase access to medical care at Grandview Kids by 4x, impacting thousands of children and youth in the community.”

Grandview Kids CEO Tom McHugh
Grandview Kids Medical Director Dr. Carolyn Hunt

The nationally unique collaboration is the first of what experts believe to be a wave of specialized outpatient procedure rooms in Children’s Centres that enable sedation-supported care alongside hospital staff.

Common health care procedures like blood work, injections, ear and nose care, routine exams and more can be extremely challenging for many children and youth with autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental and physical disabilities. These patients and their families often struggle to find providers and clinics that offer local anesthetic for these types of care.

For Durham Region parents like Sandra Stewart, who spent over a year and a half advocating for her son to have an ingrown toenail removed, today’s announcement is welcome news.


“My son has autism and is very sensitive to medical experiences,” said Sandra. “This procedure may sound minor to most people, but for him, it’s traumatic. I was turned away from three Greater Toronto Area hospitals before Lakeridge Health stepped in to help. I’ve worked in health care for decades, so I’d consider myself an expert in navigating the system. But even I couldn’t find help. I tried everything and I felt like I was failing my son. I was finally able to get the attention of Lakeridge Health’s surgical team and they really listened. He was able to get his procedure and long-needed bloodwork while under anesthetic. I recently learned about this new partnership, and I think I speak for many families when I say, ‘thank you!’”


Grandview Kids Chief Executive Officer Tom McHugh shares that the organization has had their eye on a partnership like this for years. “As Grandview Kids began planning what new spaces and features The Jerry Coughlan Building would offer to enhance our service delivery, we deliberately prepared for a clinical space that enabled sedation-supported care. The new outpatient procedure room, located within our fully accessible, sensory-friendly headquarters, will provide our clients with complex medical needs and their families more comfortable and timely access to minor procedures supported by sedation. We look forward to allowing parents and caregivers to attend to their child’s procedures so they can provide emotional and physical support to their child. This partnership with Lakeridge Health comes at an opportune time, as we aim to deliver this much-needed and anticipated care at The Jerry Coughlan Building to utilize the outpatient procedure room to its full potential.”

The Lakeridge Health-Grandview Kids outpatient procedure room will enable a new model of surgical care that is safe, empathetic, accessible and truly patient-centred. Lakeridge Health experts like an anesthesiologist, paediatrician and surgical nurses and Grandview Kids’ expert team of developmental paediatricians and clinical staff will collaborate to deliver a variety of regularly scheduled medical procedures with anesthesia not currently offered in Durham Region. The room will also be a safe space for parents and caregivers to attend alongside their children – an option not available in other hospitals.

To get the service partnership off the ground, the procedure room must be outfitted with a variety of medical tools and anesthesia equipment. Lakeridge Health Foundation has committed to raising $1 million alongside the Durham Region community to purchase items ranging from $10 to $150,000, like scissors, gel headrests, a vein finder and an anesthesia gas machine.

Lakeridge Health Foundation is committed to advancing health care in our community, and in this case, we’re supporting a collaboration with two health care leaders in Durham Region,” says Yves Gadler, CEO, Lakeridge Health Foundation. “By funding the equipment needs of the Lakeridge Health-Grandview Kids procedure room our donor community will help elevate an existing partnership and ensuring specialized care is available, close to home, for thousands of children and youth.”

To spark donations to this campaign, two long-time friends and their families have come together to match up to $50,000 in donations raised by the community. Bryan Yetman, former Chair of the Grandview Kids Foundation and Colin O’Regan, donor and volunteer with Lakeridge Health Foundation, were inspired by the work of both organizations and the extraordinary care they deliver to Durham Region residents.

Individuals, organizations and community groups looking to learn more or have their donation matched can do so by visiting www.liveheregivehere.ca or contacting Lakeridge Health Foundation at 905-433-4339.

About Grandview Kids

Founded in 1953, Grandview Kids is a family-centred, independently operated non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs to live, learn and play. Through specialized programs, rehabilitation services, outpatient clinical therapies and medical services delivered by a dedicated team of developmental paediatricians, Grandview Kids supports children and youth to live at their full potential. Learn more at grandviewkids.ca.

About Lakeridge Health

With five hospitals, four emergency departments, three critical care units, a long-term care home, a full range of medical and surgical specialties, more than 20 community health-care locations and a state-of-the-art surgical centre within the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre, Lakeridge Health offers some of the broadest and most comprehensive acute care, ambulatory care, and long-term care services in Ontario.

Lakeridge Health is also home to several regional specialty centres and services, including the Central East Regional Cancer Program, R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre, The Shoulder Centre, eye care, thoracic, gynecology oncology and chronic kidney disease services. Additionally, we are proud to serve our community with a full suite of inpatient, ambulatory, and community-based mental health and addictions services, and provide safe, high-quality, compassionate care in our state-of-the-art long-term care home, Lakeridge Gardens.

Lakeridge Health is redefining the future of health care through transformative research, dynamic academic partnerships, and groundbreaking clinical trials. With over 140 active studies, we’re at the forefront of advancing medical knowledge, expanding treatment options, and improving the lives of our patients. Our one-of-a-kind Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program is on the leading edge of training the next generation of primary care doctors. Each year, over 3,000 students and trainees are supported by the Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (LHEARN). Through our innovative collaboration with Ontario Tech University, we’re also harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize patient care. Together with our academic, community, and industry partners, Lakeridge Health is tackling the toughest health challenges and elevating the quality of care for the communities we serve.

Guided by our vision of One System. Best Health. and supported by a dedicated team of nearly 9,000 staff, physicians, and volunteers, Lakeridge Health is a proud member of the Durham Ontario Health Team (Durham OHT) and works in collaboration with the Durham OHT, as well as primary care, and community and government partners to foster a truly integrated, regional system of care. Together, we are focused on empowering people to live their best health and fostering an accessible, inclusive, and equitable environment for all.

About Lakeridge Health Foundation

Lakeridge Health Foundation raises funds and awareness for both the Oshawa and Whitby hospital sites as well as regional programs and partnerships of Lakeridge Health. The Foundation supports Lakeridge Health through generous donations from individuals and organizations, signature events, community partnerships and initiatives. In 2017, Lakeridge Health Foundation received distinguished accreditation for the Imagine Canada Standards Program, making the Foundation the first charity in Durham Region to uphold such a standard. For more information, visit www.lhfoundation.ca


For more information, please contact:
Sharon Navarro, Manager Public Relations
Lakeridge Health | C: 905-435-7889 | E: snavarro@lh.ca

Daina Robinson, Vice-President, Marketing & Community Engagement
Lakeridge Health Foundation | C: 905-391-0181 | E: darobinson@lh.ca

Adrian Polidano, Acting Director of Communications and External Relations
Grandview Kids | C: 437-703-3559 | E: adrian.polidano@grandviewkids.ca

February 07, 2025

AJAX, ONT. – Emerging community partners Grandview Kids and Sloane’s House are celebrating their shared commitment to providing family-centred care to children and youth with communication, physical and developmental needs in Durham Region through a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Grandview Kids, Durham Region’s only Children’s Treatment Centre, provides specialized paediatric rehabilitation care and services to children and youth with communication, physical and developmental needs, as well as support to parents and caregivers. The organization, which delivers programs like the Durham Complex Care Program, has direct experience supporting children and youth with complex medical needs in accessing vital care closer to home. Through this involvement, Grandview Kids deeply understands the need to develop and enhance accessible, supportive programming for families caring for children or youth with complex medical needs.

A paediatric respite and hospice care centre to be created in the Durham Region, Sloane’s House aims to become a place where families of children up to twenty-one years old with complex medical needs can join their team of caring professionals and supportive community of parents and caregivers to receive respite, palliative and end-of-life care. Sloane’s House will demonstrate leading practices, innovation and a high level of skill, training and compassion in its care, upholding the dignity and respect of each client and their family.

Signed during a ceremony on February 4, 2025, the MOU outlines the shared objective of Grandview Kids and Sloane’s House to support children and youth with complex medical needs, along with their families, in accessing much-needed respite programming and specialized training opportunities focused on grief and bereavement supports. The MOU will enable the development of programs through the counsel of clients, caregivers and Grandview Kids staff, provide resources for families navigating the various stages of grief, facilitate therapy opportunities and events and enhance access to services dedicated to children and youth with complex medical needs and their families.

Through the generous support of donors, Sloane’s House plans to build a dedicated paediatric respite and hospice care centre in Whitby, Ontario. The agreement enables Sloane’s House staff to utilize Grandview Kids’ physical spaces to host meetings and events as they plan their next steps to fund and build a dedicated centre.

The MOU signifies both organizations’ shared commitment to increasing the availability of support for parents and caregivers and their children with high health needs. This partnership also recognizes the importance of providing respite services and grief and bereavement support to parents and caregivers who deliver care with limited access to programming and resources tailored to their needs.

Quotes

Tom McHugh, Chief Executive Officer, Grandview Kids:

“Grandview Kids and Sloane’s House are uniquely positioned to develop programs that provide not only practical care but also emotional and cultural support for families in need. This Memorandum of Understanding formalizes the next step in our shared vision. It will allow us to develop more accessible programming, offer grief and bereavement support, and, most importantly, create spaces where caregivers can recharge. By working together, we aim to help families navigate the complexities of care with dignity, compassion and the resources they need.”

Brenda Slomka, Executive Director, Sloane’s House:

“Grandview Kids is a special place within our community, and we acknowledge the incredible ways they impact so many. This MOU is an exemplary model of how collaboration is foundational to providing the highest level of care and support for our clients and families on their health journeys. The MOU portrays how organizations with varied capacities and skills, focused on the same vision, caring for the children and youth in our communities, can intentionally come together to provide this high level of care and see the most vulnerable amongst us flourishing.”

  • From left to right: Erin Watson, Vice-Chair, Grandview Kids Board of Directors; Neil Pasher, Founder/Board Member, Sloane’s House; Tom McHugh, CEO, Grandview Kids; Brenda Slomka, Executive Director, Sloane’s House; Jason Hunt, Chair, Sloane’s House Board of Directors
  • Grandview Kids CEO, Tom McHugh, and Sloane’s House Executive Director, Brenda Slomka
  • Grandview Kids CEO, Tom McHugh, and Sloane’s House Executive Director, Brenda Slomka, signing the MOU

About Grandview Kids

Founded in 1953, Grandview Kids is a family-centred, independently operated non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs. Through specialized programs, rehabilitation services and outpatient clinical therapies, Grandview Kids supports children and youth to live life at their full potential. Learn more at grandviewkids.ca.

About Sloane’s House

Sloane’s House will be available for those living across Durham Region and the surrounding underserved communities. A rejuvenating place for respite stays offering engaging programming for the child or youth while parents and other caregivers take a much-needed break. For those children and youth on their end-of-life journey, specialized care will be provided in an environment where quality of life will be the focus for however many days remain. Learn more at sloaneshouse.org.

Media contacts

Adrian Polidano

Acting Director of Communications and External Relations

Grandview Kids

Adrian.Polidano@grandviewkids.ca

Brenda Slomka

Executive Director

Sloane’s House

Brenda.Slomka@sloaneshouse.com

Grandview Kids announces new fundraising structure with the establishment of a Centre-led Development Department

Media Release – Tuesday, January 14, 2025

AJAX, ONT. — Grandview Kids (“the Centre”) announced today the restructuring of the fundraising platform for Grandview Kids, whereby the Centre will assume fundraising responsibilities for Grandview Kids going forward, effective immediately. As part of the restructuring, Grandview Kids Foundation (“the Foundation”) will wind down its operations over the coming months as the Centre establishes a Development Department dedicated to fundraising.

As the Centre and the Foundation celebrated the successful completion of their “Believe” capital campaign and the opening of their new Ajax-based headquarters, The Jerry Coughlan Building, it was the perfect time to evaluate operations in a number of areas, including their fundraising activities.

As part of the restructuring, Brigitte Tschinkel, the Foundation’s Executive Director, will be retiring. The Centre will be conducting a search to identify and appoint a new Development Lead for the Centre. It is expected that existing Foundation staff will become employees of the Centre and continue their commitment to fund development and donor care.

To assist with the transition, the Centre appointed Linda Flynn to serve as Interim Executive Lead, Development. Flynn will work with the Centre’s Board of Directors and staff to ensure the continuity of development activities, develop strategic priorities and focus on donor care. Recently retired from Durham College as their Associate Vice-President of Advancement and Alumni Relations, she brings 35 years of experience, a master’s degree in leadership, and a strong track record of raising millions of dollars in the Durham Region. In addition, her active community engagement means she already has strong relationships with many of our donors and volunteers.  

The restructuring will be implemented over the coming months and will require a special meeting of members of the Foundation to authorize the distribution of the Foundation’s assets to the Centre, followed by the revocation of the Foundation’s charitable registration and then the formal dissolution of the Foundation. Pursuant to an asset transfer agreement entered into today between the Foundation and the Centre, the transfer of assets from the Foundation (and the assumption by the Centre of the Foundation’s liabilities) is expected to close on or near February 5, 2025.  All donor agreements with the Foundation will be assumed and honoured by the Centre.

Quotes

“This decision comes at an important time for the Centre and provides an opportunity to develop a highly integrated fund development and donor care program. Donor relationships are critically important to ensuring that Grandview Kids can deliver more programs and services to our families. We are grateful for the support of the Foundation for the last 30 years. We believe this new structure (which is similar to the fundraising structures of many not-for-profit organizations) is the optimal structure for Grandview Kids moving forward.” – Leo Plue, Chair, Grandview Kids Board of Directors

“The Foundation Board is supportive of this restructuring and will work with the Centre to ensure a seamless transition for our donors and supporters. The Foundation is very proud of its results in supporting Grandview Kids, including our recently completed $20 million Believe Campaign – and we thank the Foundation staff and team, the Foundation Board of Directors, and our donors and supporters, for their support of the Foundation and their continuing support of Grandview Kids. On behalf of Grandview Kids and our donors, we thank Brigitte for her commitment and support of Grandview Kids for the last 15 years, especially her leadership through our $20 million Believe Campaign, and we wish her well.” – Bryan Yetman, Chair, Grandview Kids Foundation Board of Directors

“We are grateful for the support of the Foundation. I am confident that Linda will help us navigate this transition and ensure continued support for Grandview Kids under this new structure.” – Tom McHugh, Chief Executive Officer, Grandview Kids

About Grandview Kids

Founded in 1953, Grandview Kids is a family-centred, independently operated non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs. Through specialized programs, rehabilitation services and outpatient clinical therapies, Grandview Kids supports children and youth to live life at their full potential.

Learn more at grandviewkids.ca.

Media contacts

Sandra Harris

Executive Lead, Development

Grandview Kids

437.738.0022

Sandra.Harris@grandviewkids.ca

Adrian Polidano

Acting Director of Communications and External Relations

Grandview Kids

437.703.3559

Adrian.Polidano@grandviewkids.ca

On January 14, 2025, Grandview Kids announced the restructuring of its fundraising operations by introducing a Centre-led Development Department. Effective immediately, the Centre will assume full responsibility for fundraising, and the Grandview Kids Foundation will begin winding down operations. A new Development Department will be established, led by Interim Executive Lead, Development, Linda Flynn. With 35 years of fundraising experience and deep connections within Durham Region, Linda will ensure a seamless transition and maintain a focus on donor care and development.

Below is a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you understand what this transition means and how it may affect you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Grandview Kids’ Board of Directors made the decision to change its fundraising structure?

As Grandview Kids (“the Centre”) and Grandview Kids Foundation (“the Foundation”) celebrated the successful completion of their “Believe” capital campaign and the opening of their new Ajax-based headquarters, The Jerry Coughlan Building, it was the perfect time to evaluate operations in a number of areas, including their fundraising activities.

This analysis has led to the decision that the Centre will assume fundraising responsibilities for Grandview Kids moving forward and the Foundation will wind down its operations and transfer all assets to the Centre.

This decision comes at an important time for the Centre and provides an opportunity to develop a highly integrated fund development and donor care program. These relationships are critically important as donors ensure that Grandview Kids can deliver more programs and services to our clients and their families.

In addition, the efficiencies achieved by integration means more donor dollars will be directed to supporting Grandview Kids’ mission of supporting children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs to live, learn and play. Having one organization, with one voice, in the community will be more efficient. Two distinct organizations with all the governance, management and business functions that currently exist are duplications of resources. We believe this new structure will reduce fundraising costs, increase revenue and ultimately enhance care for the kids we serve.

Who will lead the fundraising efforts for Grandview Kids?

Linda Flynn, a well-known Durham Region resident with significant experience in the not-for-profit sector, has been hired as Interim Executive Lead, Development, for Grandview Kids. Grandview Kids will conduct a search for a new Executive Lead for Development in due course. Existing Foundation staff have been provided with the opportunity to continue in their roles within the new fundraising structure at Grandview Kids, and we expect that the Development Team will remain the same going forward.

If I want to support the children, youth and families Grandview Kids serves, who should I give to?

Effective immediately, the Centre is leading the fundraising efforts and encourages all donors to support our mission by making gifts to Grandview Kids. 

Our donation form is still available online on the Grandview Kids Foundation website. This placement will change in the future and donors, clients and families will be notified when this change takes place.  

Gifts can be mailed or dropped off to Grandview Kids – The Jerry Coughlan Building located at 1461 Harwood Ave N, Ajax, ON L1T 0R3.  Please make cheques payable to “Grandview Children’s Centre.”

How does this impact donors/my donation(s)?

Grandview Kids is a registered charity, so under the agreement with the Foundation, the Centre will assume all contracts of the Foundation, including any donor agreements. The Centre will honour all donor wishes and restrictions pursuant to any donor agreement

We expect this to be “business as usual” for Grandview Kids fundraising. Over the next few weeks, we will be reaching out to all donors to explain this restructuring and to ensure their continuing support for Grandview Kids and their families.

If you are a monthly donor, your donation will automatically be transferred over to the Centre. Please be advised that we will be in contact with all our monthly donors to explain the process.

I donated to the Foundation this year. Will the money I donated still help support the children, youth and families you serve?

We know your objective with your donation(s) is to support the high-quality care Grandview Kids provides to children, youth and families in our community, and we deeply appreciate your ongoing commitment. Funds donated to the Foundation will be transferred to the Centre.

What will happen to the existing Foundation endowment funds?

All endowment funds will be transferred to Grandview Kids. Grandview Kids is grateful for the foresight and commitment of donors who have made endowed gifts. We recognize the importance of transparent management, and the use of these funds and investments will continue to be managed responsibly, as they always have. All existing agreements will be respected, and funds will be used as donors intended. A Grandview Kids Development staff member will be in touch with endowment donors in the near future.

Will I still get my tax receipt for donations made to the Foundation this year?

The Grandview Kids Foundation will be preparing tax receipts for all gifts made to the Foundation in 2024. In the future, the Centre will process all gifts and receipts.

Is this fundraising structure unique to Grandview Kids?

Transitioning fundraising efforts into Grandview Kids is not unique and is a structure utilized by many other organizations/institutions like ours.

We believe that this is the optimal structure for Grandview Kids moving forward and will achieve operational and cost efficiencies.

What happens to the Foundation volunteers who support the Centre?

The Centre Board of Directors has great appreciation for the years of service and dedication of the many fundraising volunteers who have helped over the years. As the Centre embarks on the new fundraising structure, we will be reaching out to those who have dedicated countless hours to raise funds for the Centre. We trust our volunteers will want to stay involved to continue to raise funds to support the children, youth and families we serve.

How can I volunteer to help with fundraising?

Volunteers are the building blocks of fundraising for the Centre. Individuals with varied interests, networks and skills will ensure our future success. As we design our new fundraising program (from events to major and planned giving), community members with an array of skills will be welcomed to help. Please contact Linda Flynn, Interim Executive Lead, Fundraising (linda.flynn@grandviewkids.ca) to discuss how you would like to help.

How will the transition take place? What will happen to the Foundation?

The restructuring will be implemented over the coming months. Current members on the Foundation’s team will work to authorize the distribution of the Foundation’s assets to the Centre, followed by the revocation of the Foundation’s charitable registration and the formal dissolution of the Foundation.

As part of the restructuring, Grandview Kids Foundation (the “Foundation”) will transfer all its assets to the Centre (the Centre is a registered charity, with the charitable registration number 107447856RR0001) following satisfaction of any outstanding liabilities of the Foundation. Following the transfer of the Foundation’s assets to the Centre, the Foundation will file for voluntary revocation of the Foundation’s charitable registration with the Canada Revenue Agency.

The full transition is expected to be completed by June 2025.

Who can I contact with questions?

Please feel free to contact any of the Foundation Transition Team’s members listed below if you have any questions regarding the restructuring.

The Grandview Kids Jerry Coughlan Building will serve 6,000 children and youth with communication, physical and developmental needs.

Media Release – Friday, November 22, 2024

AJAX, ONT. — Grandview Kids officially opened its new Ajax headquarters, known as The Jerry Coughlan Building, on November 14. The new, fully accessible, state-of-the-art children’s treatment centre will serve more than 6,000 children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs in the Durham Region. To celebrate this monumental milestone, Grandview Kids hosted a series of opening events, including a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on November 15 and a Municipal Welcome Event on November 22. These events recognized the federal, provincial, regional and municipal governments’ investment into this project.

Building on the exceptional talent and skillset of Team Grandview’s physicians, leadership, clinicians, administrative and support staff, the new, larger facility will enable Grandview Kids to expand and enhance existing services and introduce new ones, better meeting the rapidly growing demand of the Durham Region community.

Grandview Kids’ new headquarters offers rehabilitation services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech-language pathology, recreation therapy, audiology, infant hearing, blind-low vision and social work. In addition, Grandview Kids will continue to offer its Ontario Autism Program (OAP) services, Preschool Outreach Program (POP), School-Based Rehabilitation Services (SBRS), Extensive Needs Service and Family Engagement Program. Six developmental paediatricians also work on-site, providing medical services and overseeing multiple clinics. The Grandview School, Grandview Kids education partner, is also located within the building.

Funding for Grandview Kids – The Jerry Coughlan Building was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) and the Government of Canada. Through the Grandview Kids Foundation’s Believe Campaign, Grandview Kids received two lead gifts: $5,000,000 from the late Mr. Jerry Coughlan (for whom the building is named after) and $5,035,000 from the Regional Municipality of Durham. In addition, the Town of Ajax has donated a five-acre parcel of land upon which the Centre is built. Tribute Communities also donated one-acre of land. Grandview Kids will continue to operate satellite locations in Bowmanville (Bowmanville Health Centre), Port Perry (SA Cawker), Whitby (Abilities Centres) and Oshawa (Dwyer). This ensures high-quality care is accessible close to home for families across the Durham Region.

Quick Facts

  • Grandview Kids is Durham Region’s Children’s Treatment Centre, serving more than 10,000 children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs each year.
  • Grandview Kids – The Jerry Coughlan Building is a 100,306 square foot, open, welcoming and inclusive community-based paediatric facility, offering an integrated mix of rehabilitation, medical and clinical services, as well as research activities.
  • The building is spread across four storeys, featuring a welcome playground, sunken garden, two gymnasiums to be used for both therapy and play, therapy pool, outdoor terrace, Family Resource Centre (with an express branch of the Ajax Public Library), café and outdoor sensory trail.
  • The entire facility and 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.

Quotes

“Grandview Kids has long-awaited the day we would open our new, state-of-the-art headquarters. After years of steadfast advocacy – campaigning for a new facility that could better respond to our community’s growing needs – we are proud to have achieved this monumental milestone. We are grateful to our government partners for their ongoing support and investment in this project. The New Grandview Kids is a beacon of hope, excellence, belonging and discovery. This new space will enable Grandview Kids to enhance and expand existing services and introduce new ones, serving children and youth with communication, physical and developmental needs throughout the Durham Region for generations to come.” – Tom McHugh, Chief Executive Officer, Grandview Kids

“It’s amazing to see years of planning, effort and dedication come to fruition with the opening of the new Grandview Kids in Ajax. Ajax Council donated 5-acres of land on Harwood Avenue North for this facility in 2015, and Ajax staff have worked closely with the Grandview team to support the development. I’m also incredibly proud of the $300,000 donated to Grandview through the Ajax Mayor’s Gala since 2022 for the building’s construction and operations. This project is a prime example of municipalities and organizations coming together to create meaningful change for the greater good, and I thank everyone involved.” – Mayor Shaun Collier, Town of Ajax

Infrastructure Ontario is proud to celebrate the opening of the New Grandview Kids alongside our partners at Grandview Kids and Children’s First Consortium. The new facility, which will provide family-centred care for children, youth, and their families in Durham Region for years to come, is a testament to IO’s success in helping deliver critical healthcare projects across Ontario. The projects we work on are more than just buildings. They are about creating spaces that bring essential services and provide the foundation for communities to thrive. The opening of the New Grandview Kids is a moment for us to reflect on the value of public infrastructure in shaping healthier, more resilient communities and to celebrate how successful partnerships can bring projects like this to life. Congratulations to everyone involved in achieving this incredible milestone. – Michael Lindsay, President and CEO, Infrastructure Ontario

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