Ontario Construction News staff writer
The federal government will contribute $25,000 towards the development of a new health centre for Camp Kawartha.
Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha made the announcement recently on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau. Funding will come through Farm Credit Canada’s AgriSpirit Fund.
The health centre will feature a series of sustainable elements such as net-zero utility costs, zero toxins, zero carbon footprint, as well as zero fossil fuel use and zero waste output.
“Camp Kawartha is a leading environmental steward in our community,” said Monsef. “Our government recognizes the importance of sustainable development and supports Camp Kawartha’s innovative vision for their new health centre.”
The original centre, built in the 1950’s, has a sagging foundation and is in dire need of replacement. The centre serves as a hub where the camp’s healthcare team looks after the health needs of campers during the summer. It also acts as extra sleeping quarters throughout the fall, winter and spring. The new facility will be approximately 1,200 square feet in size and will cost about $325,000.
“Camp Kawartha is thrilled to receive support from Farm Credit Canada’s AgriSpirit Fund for a new Health Centre,” said Jacob Rodenburg, Executive Director of Camp Kawartha. “With this generous contribution we will be able to construct a zero-carbon building, which will allow our healthcare team to look after the well-being of both campers and staff. Not only will this building be an example of sustainable design, it will show the community how nature and buildings can co-exist as spaces that are both healthy for people and the planet.”
The new Centre will be an example of next generation of sustainable architecture. Showcasing the use of natural materials and incorporating natural elements such passive solar design, the Health Centre will:
- Be an example to health professionals of how a Health Centre or Health Clinic can be sustainable and integrate nature into its design.
- Serve as a teaching building for the many guests, campers and participants in Camp Kawartha’s programming. More than 16,000 people attend Camp Kawartha and the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre annually.
- Help campers and students understand carbon-neutral design, carbon sequestration, alternative energy generation, natural building materials, product life-cycle and green waste management systems. The design features will be an integral part of our environmental programming on Sustainable Living and Alternative Energy.
Construction is scheduled to start in the fall of 2020 and be completed by June 2021.
Camp Kawartha is a not-for-profit charity dedicated to fostering stewardship and environmental awareness, offering summer camp experiences, outdoor education and environmental programming to over 16,000 campers, students and adults throughout the year.
It also provides training in environmental education to teachers, student teachers, early childhood educators and it offers workshops on sustainable living to the general public.
Over the past 16 years, the FCC AgriSpirit Fund has supported 1,263 projects with more than $15 million.