WINCHESTER – Five months after reaching its last major fundraising milestone, the campaign for Dundas Manor has hit another – $14.5 million. The WDMH Foundation announced the latest fundraising total on February 26.
“Our hearts are full,” said foundation Interim Executive Director Cindy Ault Peters. “When the campaign was launched, our community goal to help build a new long-term care home for our region seemed daunting. But very quickly, our community stepped up and we realized that together, we can make this dream come true!”
The foundation’s fundraising campaign for the new Manor began in earnest in June 2023. When it launched, $11 million of its $18 million goal had already been accounted for through municipal government funding pledges including from SDG Counties, North Dundas, and South Dundas. Since the campaign’s launch, the WDMHF has raised $3.5 million through events large and small, and from individual donations of all sizes.
“We are almost there,” said Dundas Manor Administrator Susan Poirier. “All the current and future residents of Dundas Manor are so grateful for everyone’s support. Our team is busy planning for everything that needs to be done leading up to move-in day. We can’t wait!”
Ground broke on the LTC project in December 2023 and was first announced March 2020. When completed in 2026, the $63 million facility will have 128 private beds, four dining areas, and other modern amenities. It replaces the original facility that opened in 1978 with 60 beds, and later expanded to 98 beds. Most of those rooms are ward or semi-private rooms. The new facility will feature private rooms for all residents.
Construction of the new Manor is more than one-third (36 per cent) complete according to officials. The final structural beams will be installed in the next week, and by the end of April all the steel work will be completed. Officials say that the walls should all be built by August.
Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care originally announced funding for the project in 2020. At that time, the project was estimated to cost $32 million to complete. Since then, pandemic related construction inflation and other economic factors increased the price tag to $63 million. The provincial government increased its funding to $45 million, requiring the balance to be fundraised by the WDMHF.
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