The chair of the Nipissing Serenity Hospice says the turning point for when she knew the end-of-life care facility was going to happen was when the City of North Bay got involved.
Mathidle Gravelle Bazinet says the 2.4 acres of land on John Street where the hospice is being built is worth $240,000.
However, she says the city sold it to the hospice committee for $1.
“It showed the city supported our project,” said Gravelle Bazinet.
“To (get that land) was a fantastic contribution.”
The 10-bed facility will sit close to Chippewa Creek and has a path for residents and families to walk along.
The hospice will also include an extra room for families staying the night with loved ones.
Gravelle Bazinet began pursuing the project shortly after brother died in 2006.
She says he was in a hospice south of Montreal when he passed away in 2006.
“I saw the beautiful care his whole family had,” she recalled.
“It allowed two of his sons who had been estranged from each other to reconcile during the week they spent with their dad. This would not have happened in a hospital setting.”
Gravelle Bazinet has worked on the hospice project for seven years along with other partners and supporters.
Thanks to a $1.5 million dollar grant on Friday from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, Gravelle Bazinet says nearly all the $7.4 million needed for the facility is in place.
She says more than $4 million has been raised locally over the years and the remaining shortfall will likely come from local sources although she’s not ruling out accessing government grants.
When complete, which should be in about a year from now, the Ministry of Health will cover two thirds of the operating costs.
Fundraising efforts will cover the balance, and Gravelle Bazinet says that’s not a concern because in communities already with a hospice in place, the locals are very generous.
When operational, the Nipissing Serenity Hospice will have 15 full-time employees and about 10 part-time workers.
