8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, JuIy 27, 2004 4, -LauIrier At- 878-2881 'ýRose Cherry's Home nearing completion Bv STEPHAN~IE TIEII;CE The Champion For the past six years Councillor Mark Curi: has had to dream aboui what Rose Cherry's Home foi Kids would look like. Now, for the lirst time. he coin sec it. The Ward 2 Councillor recently tured the soon-to-open palli ative/respitc care facility on No. 15 Sideroad aong with Mayor Gord Krantz. "ht took my hreath away when 1 saw il because ils so long ir coming," Mr. Curtis said, adding. -This is like a dreamn corne Ime." Rose Cherry's Home for Kjds will pro- vide pediatric hospice care and respite services t0 families with children who have life-limiting or life-threatening ilînesses requiring complex care. Once complete, the home is expected to provide services 10 350 families each ycar. The centre is narned ini memory of hock- ey coromentator Don Cberry's wife. The facility's opening has been long overdue, and a source of frustration for many involved, but itlIooks like phase one wiIl finally be opening in September, with its grand opening September 2-3. "It's hard 10 believe it's ftnally (open- ing)," said Mr. Curtis, who's been on the board of directors since 1998, two years after the charity was incorporated. -We're now at the point where we're doing the painting and landscaping.- Mr. Curtis said Milton has been a little bit out of the loop with regards 10 the facility for the past while, since the Toronto office took it over. But 0<9w, he added, Miltonia.ns will be able t0 see what's been accomplisbed and what so, many people in town have supported in various ways. And something t0 be proud of it sure is, he said. "Once Milton people gel a glimpse of il we'll see excitement and pride in Milton. This is something that's goîng to put Milton on the map." The home will provide what, for many families, could be the first break they've had in years from caring for their children. Stays will range from ovemighî 10 up t0 two weeks. Although phase one will initially open with two beds, Mr. Curtis said, the $3.5 million phase will evenîually include respite bcdrooms with six beds, îwo pallia- tive care suites, fOve bathrooms, a gathering area, an outdoor terrace, a nursing area, a kitchen and a dining room. In the plans for phase two are an addi- W\COGECO Cogeco Cable rgamn ceueTedy uy2- odyAgst204 -7 WuIy Local Television Channel 14 Pr g a m n ceue-Tedy uy2 ody uut220 w w w .COg co.ca 910 1 tain 709999 7i 910 lia. Plogg~d ln, 910 I11m Puffldmi 910, lam P1,gge ln' 910 4, 7109992 77'mi 9lopin 609999 In' 910 11,,o 7109994In' & , 2 3P. &91230pm & 1 230.9 ,2,30m& 1 230pm il91? 30717 NORTH tALION STUDIO 5p.7 677, 709007 l 5717 9 m Plogg.d lno 100Pmo Mlton C oclJul 26 îp ,6pr P.gge2mi 4 30p , Fergus Tuck Sho,, 10 3p F1. TukSho'o îp,,ý îp,,, 7609991l & 7 3 p& 73p 1 5P. 677, ugid o & 7 3 m7 377, 090p. 177 9ln, 77, 71 Pugged ln' & 7 3077, Laurier Plaza 8900 Pm 191o,,CO.noo -J.1 26 &57 307m,7 0 500 Laurier Avenue Milton, ON L9T 4R3 905-878-9306 "The Fergus Truck Show - Sat 4 Pm & Sun 10:-30 arn loonal îhree respire bedrooms with six beds, 1070 addiîional baths, a hydrotherapy room, a chapel. a lamily room and an activities S arca. Phase îwo will also have a Snoezelen It room, dcsigned bo stimulate the child's tsenses lhrough the use of sooîhing ligbts, ýr soft s(9urlds and tactile textures. The building ilseli has -a Milton flavour,- Mr. Curtis said, addtng it blends rjî'ght in with ils escarpinent environs. e Mr. Curtis has been serving as an anîbas- sador lor the home as he travels on his con- cert tours. H-e bas also donc a lot of tùndraising, donating some of the proceeds - including from bis eastem Ontanio tour, whicb begins today - trom bis concerts Io the home. As someone wbo bas experience dealing with families wbo bave lost cbîldren, Mr. Curtis said palliative care for cbildrcn is near to bis heart. 'Cbildren are the most vulncrable. They need special care." He said be's now looking forward to sepping out of bis ambassadonial mIle and int a more bands-on role. From Uic very beginning, thc project bas been faced witb challenges. ht was expeet- cd 10, open ast year, but the opening was delayed due t0 a lack of funds. Oniginally, the idea was to renovate a home that was already on the site. However, a potentialy-bannful mouhd that was discovered in 1998 resulted in starting fresh. Tbougb this rcsuted in a better facil- ty, il also meant a more expensive facility, Mr. Bowker said. But the bome's support- ers came tbrougb, witt $1 .2 million of gifîs n kind sucb as building materials and labour. lI'm absolutely over the moon, Mr. Bowker said. "Is been a long, bard climb but people camne together and kcpt pusbing and we got there.' The projcct couldn't bave bappcned witbouî ils many partners, Mr. Bowkcr said. Stephanie Thiessen <an be reached at sthiessentniilItont.onadiant<hnpon.>-,m. Don Cherry and Father Mark Cri tour the nearly-completed Rose Cherrys Home for Kids Saturday. Photos by GRAHAM PAINE