Consider joining the Lions Club

If you're planning a resolution for 2012 to become more involved in your community, here's my plug for you to consider the Lions Club of Woodstock.
Firstly, the club, which I've been a member of for about four years, has been serving and volunteering in this community for more than 80 years. The Lions Club, for example, built the Lions Pool for the City in the 1940s and when the City wanted to take over operating it, the Lions sold it to the municipality for $1.
We have countless fundraisers, including operating a large food tent at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show in September to raise dollars to assist many community needs and projects. The Lions Club runs the beverage garden for both Cowapolooza and Canada Day in Southside Park, we are the organizing committee for the annual Terry Fox Run with member Bill Gillespie chairing the activity.
The Lions Club operates the weekly bingo at the Legion on Thursdays.
Also, A Ladies Night Out fundraiser makes money in two ways -- selling tickets for a dinner and selling vendors tables to businesses such as Pampered Chef and Osbourne Books. Everyone wins!
As a volunteer work force the Lions Club assists with The Christmas Place, the Santa Claus and Victoria Day parades, the annual soapbox go-kart rally, community barbecues, and the important early-morning get-up-before-dawn cleanup crew for the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay For Life.
The Lions Club also owns a historic fire truck which makes many public appearances throughout the county at events and parades. When you attend the Woodstock Santa parade you always know the jolly olde fellow in red is next when you our jolly olde fellow -- Lion Ed -- driving the red truck.
Speaking about getting our hands dirty, the Lions Club does highway garbage pickup twice a year on both Highway 2 on the west end of Woodstock and the nearby Lions Club / Standard Tube walking trails.
Cheques are written annually for high school bursaries, support for seeing-eye dogs, local Christmas charities, and for many one-time-only requests for items including prescription glasses and household assistive devices for people in need who make a formal request to our 'charitable reponse' committee.
Just this past week, the Lions Club paid for a Christmas dinner and distributed presents to children in a local organization. The gentleman in the red suit and beard was also a Lions Club member.
I tell friends of mine always, that the Lions Club of Woodstock is a great group of people doing great work. Call me if you're interested in joining in on the fun.
Woodstock is a great community, but it has become that thanks to the sum of its parts. You can do your part, by joining the Lions Club.

Mark Schadenberg, sale rep

Royal LePage Triland

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

(519) 537-1553

93 Sales Reported in November in WIDREB

It's not boxing, it's real estate

In boxing, it’s called the tale of the tape. In real estate, it’s the tale of the statistics.

Numbers always paint a picture. You can look at a series of sales figures and explain exactly what was happening at the time.

If you’re considering selling your home, it doesn’t matter if it’s a buyer’s market or a seller’s market, the asking price should be accurate.

 I’ve been in real estate full-time for 13 years now, but for stats I only range back to 2005 as it was in the spring of that year that Toyota announced it would be building a factory here to produce the Rav4. Almost overnight prices went up 15 - 20 % and the market change dramatically.

Here, therefore are total sales numbers for the first 11 months of the past seven years in WIDREB (Woodstock-Ingersoll board area also includes Innerkip, Norwich, Sweaburg, Burgessville, Beachville, Mt Elgin, Embro and points in-between):

2011: 1106

2010: 1154

2009: 1010

2008: 1118

2007: 1315

2006: 1218

2005: 1426

You can see 2009 was low in total sales due to a slow car industry, especially among the North American big three, including an almost shutdown at Ingersoll’s CAMI. However, 2011 is in line with the 2009 number.

In 2005, sales totals were quite high and it’s safe to assume many additional properties sold that were not formally MLS listed as multiple-offers and quick sales were everywhere as properties – with or without homes built on them – were selling rapidly and many purely on speculation.

As for November totals, 2011 was close to the last three years – 93 in 2011, 84 in 2010, and 87 in 2009. However, the car collapse of late 2008 resulted in just 55 sales after both 2007 and 2006 were both at 104 each.

Oxford County certainly follows regional and national trends.

In the meantime, I’m not an economist, but this is a great time to buy as there is a downward pressure on residential resale prices and interest rates are microscopic.

Mark Schadenberg
Royal LePage Triland Realty
Woodstock
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
(519) 537-1553

Rona vs Home Hardware vs Home Depot

Home Hardware, which is based in St Jacobs, is an icon of the Canadian lumber and building supply industry. The company is really just a buying group, which is explained nicely in this recent story which was published in the Toronto Star.

The Home Hardware name will be attempting to grow in upcoming years to better compete with box stores.

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Hardware franchise chains are similar, but different

By James Daw, Toronto Star, Personal Finance Columnist

Malcolm Firkser and Delip Chook watched their fathers learn the business ropes by running neighbourhood hardware stores.

Firkser’s family came to Canada from South Africa; Chook’s from India, via Afghanistan. Their parents sought out a business they could afford, one from which they could benefit from customer loyalty built up by previous owners.

Rather than compete alone against the major chains that dominate Canada’s retail hardware industry, they stepped under their umbrella — the Firksers with Home Hardware and the Chooks with Rona.

Firkser’s father began running Sunnybrook Home Hardware at Eglinton and Bayview Aves. in 1980. Malcolm, 51, took it over in 1988. He recently opened two more stores.

Chook, 25, says his father, Parshot, and mother, Sima, collected welfare upon arriving in Canada penniless and knowing relatively little English. After working hard, operating a series of gift stores and buying a home and commercial real estate, they approached Rona about six years ago to open a hardware store on Queen St. E. (A Home Hardware store had just closed.)

After his father was injured in a car crash, Chook took on the management duties, such as ordering inventory, at the store. His skills caught Rona’s attention. Now, he’s working there as an assistant project manager while studying part-time. He’s weighing his father’s offer to take over the store.

Both Rona and Home Hardware are looking to expand their number of locations, in response to increasing competition from the big-box stores of Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Lowes.

Home Hardware is particularly interested in expanding beyond 100 stores in Quebec. Rona expects half of its dealers will retire over the next 10 to 15 years, and also has expansion plans.

Based in Boucherville, Que., Rona is a public corporation that owns its biggest stores. Home Hardware, of St. Jacobs, Ont., is a buying co-operative owned by its members, who now number more than 1,000.

Instead of selling franchises, both chains work with aspiring entrepreneurs to open hardware stores and larger building centres under their banners.

Like franchise chains, both offer their members or dealers access to group purchasing power, enormous supply chains, advice and consulting services, and advertising support.

Dealers say they enjoy fewer restrictions than franchisees, lower upfront costs, the freedom to sell their businesses and some other advantages.

Both Firkser and Chook rave about their chain’s selection of suppliers, inventory control, ordering and warehouse delivery systems.

Rona’s goal is to capture 30 per cent of the hardware and building-centre market across Canada. Its first priority is to open large company stores and help existing dealers expand into larger locations, where their adult children can earn enough profit to earn an income and buy their parents out.

“We are trying to get close to the customer,” says Jean-Luc Meunier, senior vice-president of business development for Rona.

Home Hardware and Rona have different requirements and financial arrangements that are only disclosed in detail to their independent dealers.

Meunier offers only general information about the startup cost for a small Rona hardware store. Rona usually controls the lease on its dealers’ stores.

“The inventory would cost about $75,000 to $100,000,” he estimates, adding a person with equity of $200,000 to $250,000 could go to the bank to arrange financing.

Rona will sometimes help promising young people finance a startup, he adds. Before accepting a dealer, he or she will be put through a battery of tests.

It could take a year or two before a new dealer could draw much income from a small store, longer for a larger store.

Home Hardware charges a $300 application fee and $1,500 for shares in the co-operative. It directs 5 per cent of sales to an interest-bearing account.

The co-operative’s members may access some of the money later for an expansion or renovation, but most of the money in their interest-bearing account will only be repaid in five annual installments after selling or closing the business.

Firkser negotiated his own leases for his two new stores, and is looking for space for a fourth store.

“I still think Home Hardware is the best format in the business,” he insists. “When you retire, you will have a large chunk of money. With Rona, you walk away with your inventory, bank loan, and fixtures and fittings that will be worth nothing.”

Consultant Eugene Duynstee, president of KPM Enterprises Inc., offers general advice to prospective dealers or co-op members.

“When you are getting into a business relationship, a long-term view is very important. When you build a relationship with customers, where does that value go when you want to retire? Can you sell the business to someone else?”

Chook, whose customers saw him grow up from age 13 to 25 in his parent’s stores, admits he has a difficult decision to make: Build a career within the Rona organization or buy his father’s small business.

He says he has learned a lot about tools and home renovation projects in the past six years. He enjoys helping customers solve problems, and would be the most capable successor. “My brother should be on Canada’s Worst Handyman,” he says.

Firkser is committed to small hardware stores, and is looking to open a fourth in central Toronto. He uses a recent trip to a department store to buy a wallet as a lesson for his son on the value of personal service. They found plenty of wallets, but no price stickers or advice.

“I asked my son: How do these places survive? ... I think they are chasing money away.”

Mark Hunter assumes coaching role

Dale Hunter is new Capitals coach, so Mark Hunter takes over behind London bench

This is the story I wrote for: The Canadian Press:
By Mark Schadenberg
LONDON -- Not often would a first-place team be required to name a new head coach.
Late Sunday, however, Dale Hunter, 51, became the new bench boss of the Washington Capitals and thereby had to call his younger brother Mark to announce he was leaving the club which he coached to 451 regular-season wins over 11 seasons, including the 2005 Memorial Cup title.
On Monday, Mark Hunter, 49, named himself as new head coach of the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, elevating his responsibilities and role from that of vice president and general manager. Even though not listed in the program ever as an assistant coach, Mark Hunter all season has been a regular presence on the bench along with Dale and Dylan Hunter (Dale's son).
"It's going to be different," said Mark Hunter in a noon-hour press gathering Monday. "We have a good staff here. I feel comfortable with the group of coaches we have here -- it's a solid team."
The Knights staff includes assistant coaches Dylan, Misha Donskov (also assistant GM), defence coach Rob Ramage, development coach Dave Warren, director of scouting (former Knights head coach) Lindsay Hofford, goalie coach Bill Dark, and even a part-time sports psychologist on staff in Dr. Natasha Wesch. Donskov and Ramage were already on ice during practises and would be important eyes in the sky during games. Donskov, confirmed Mark Hunter, will now be seen on the bench more during games. It would appear the resources are in place.
One change in the club's operation that the Hunter family has not yet discussed, admitted Mark, is the position of team president which Dale held in an ownership group which also features former NHLer Basil McRae.
With the Knights completing a three-in-three weekend in Brampton on Sunday, there were no players at the John Labatt Centre Monday, giving the staff some organizational time.
"We don't plan on changing much, but we'll be watching game-by-game and if we have to tweak something, we will," said Mark Hunter.
"It's not like I'm coming in from upstairs. I've been on the bench. I have a pretty comfortable feel with how Dale was running things. Dale sometimes did a few things a little out of the box, but I think I have a good hockey mind to try things."
As for Dale Hunter, Mark says his brother is most certainly ready for the next level.
"It's anybody's dream to coach in the (NHL). It's well deserved by him. After 11 years here it's a great accomplishment for him. He's ready to go," said Mark, who added that Dale won two OHL coach of the year awards (2004 and 2005) and sent several players to the NHL, most notably Corey Perry, Dave Bolland, Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner and Steve Mason, along with Dennis Wideman and John Carlson who he will now coach in Washington.
"It's something to be very proud of to see players go on to the NHL and do as well as they've done -- like Corey Perry going up and winning the Hart Trophy. Winning is important to the organization, but developing players is even more important," said Mark Hunter.
With over four years previous as a head coach himself in the OHL with the Sarnia Sting, Mark Hunter expects a seamless transition even though his workload has changed -- possibly less time for scouting.
"I won't miss many practises. I believe that's the teaching tool," says Mark Hunter. "I'm going to put a little more pressure on Misha and Dylan. They will do a little more organizing practices. They already watch the tapes. Everybody always likes to have a little more to do and they're open for it."
Mark Hunter's resume includes head coaching roles in both the OHL and AHL as he was behind the bench for the St John's Maple Leafs in 1996-97, and wrapped around that season he had earned 155 wins in 306 contests with Sarnia, 1994-2000. It must be noted that the Sting won just one of six playoff rounds in his tenure where he coached future NHLers Trevor Letowski, Jon Sim, and Andy Delmore, among others.
The current Knights, meantime, have earned their way to its No 1 CHL ranking with 20 victories in 26 contests, leading the OHL in goals with 114, and not losing consecutive games even once this season. London has exceeded expectations with a generally younger lineup including rookies Max Domi, Bo Horvat and first overall CHL Import pick Olli Maatta from Finland. The young core also includes twins Ryan and Matt Rupert, Andreas Athanasiou, and Dane Fox. A certain surprise is that Seth Griffith leads the club in goals (17) and points (33).
London's lineup has just four NHL-drafted players in captain Jarred Tinordi (Montreal), along with Jared Knight (Boston), Vladislav Namestnikov (Tampa), and Team Canada world junior hopeful Scott Harrington (Pittsburgh).
The Mark Hunter era debut is Friday with a visit by the under-achieving Saginaw Spirit, which has won two straight, but have just 10 wins in 27 starts.
Although confirming he is the head coach going forward, the one commitment Mark Hunter was unable to confirm obviously is the long term picture.
"I think every year we look back and see if anything needs to be adjusted and analyze how we've done -- the coaches and the players. That is something we've always done and will continue to do with this hockey club."
One area where Mark admits he will have less time is scouting. More emphasis will have to be put on the legwork of Hofford and his staff.
Mark Hunter's NHL career included 628 games with Montreal, St. Louis, Calgary, Hartford and Washington, winning a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989. In 19 years, Dale Hunter became the only NHL player to record over 1,000 points and 3,000 penalty minutes, playing 1,407 games plus 186 more in the playoffs.

Maple Leafs Gardens now a supermarket

Sittler and Palmateer era long over; now it's soup and pomegranates at Maple Leaf Gardens

When growing up as a Maple Leafs fan, my favourites were Mike Palmateer and Darryl Sittler. The mecca of hockey, in my opinion, was Maple Leafs Gardens.
For awhile a grocery magnate named Steve Stavros owned the hockey club; now MLG is a grocery store as it opens on Wednesday, Nov. 30 in this change-of-use.
Rock concerts, pro wrestling and boxing, and many other entertainment events were hosted by the Gardens. The Air Canada Centre opened in 1999.
Here's a story from The Toronto Star about the Gardens' transformation.
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Dana Flavelle Toronto Star, Business Reporter

What would the late Harold Ballard think?

His beloved Maple Leaf Gardens may look the same from the outside more than a decade after the Toronto Maple Leafs National Hockey League team abandoned its home of 68 years.

But inside the iconic arena that hosted eight Stanley Cup championships, Depression-era dance marathons, Beatles concerts and Trudeau-mania, the curmudgeonly former owner might be startled by its dramatic transformation.

On Wednesday, the iconic hockey shrine will reopen its doors for the first time since 1999, but as a supermarket, clothing store and LCBO outlet.

Not just any supermarket, an urbane food emporium worthy of the sophisticated tastes of Toronto’s booming downtown condo-dwellers.

From the few crumbs of information Loblaw Cos. Ltd. has dropped so far, the store will house a sushi bar, stone bread-baking oven, 100 pound wheel of Stilton cheese, handcrafted chocolate and open kitchen. The Gardens will be unlike any other store in Loblaw’s 1,200-store empire.

“You have to have the right product mix. You can’t sell suburban products in the downtown core. People aren’t going to do their week’s worth of shopping. They’re shopping daily, or two or three times a week. They’re buying fresh. Looking for organic,” said John Archer, a retail consultant with J.C. Williams Group Inc. in Toronto.

“The market is skewed a little bit younger. It’s also the attitude. Eating healthy. Looking after yourself. It’s not age-related. It can be the funky 50-year-old who still dresses like they’re 25 and wants to buy Joe Fresh,” Archer added.

Like other food retailers, Loblaw was looking for a way to get into the downtown core when the Gardens came on the market.

A condo boom was fuelling a population explosion. Having shrunk to 40,000 residents by the 1970s during the flight to the suburbs, the city’s inner core has soared to 100,000 people, says Tony Hernandez, chair of Ryerson University’s Centre for the Study of Commercial Activity.

And more are coming.

“The density has gone crazy in the last five years,” says Anthony Stokan, retail consultant with Anthony Russell Inc. in Toronto.

Unlike Manhattan, where there’s a small Korean grocer on every corner, Canada’s food distribution business is controlled by a handful of large players, Stokan noted. Every one of them — Metro, Sobey’s and regional player Longo’s — has opened downtown stores in recent years, he said.

Finding a suitable urban site is more challenging than in the suburbs. The Gardens presented even more than the usual number of headaches for prospective developers.

At one point, the arena appeared destined to become a white elephant.

Vacated in 1999 by the hockey team for more modern quarters in the Air Canada Centre, its owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment seemed to have few options.

Condo developers were stymied by the city’s decision to declare the Gardens’ domed roof a heritage feature. And a rival hockey club owner, Eugene Melnyk, was rejected as a potential competitor to MLSE’s Air Canada Centre.

Loblaw walked away from a proposed deal in 2003, declaring the price too rich for its appetite. Home Depot withdrew a rival offer around the same time.

Loblaw and MLSE were able to strike a deal the following year that would see the Gardens turned into a giant superstore that carried both groceries and general merchandise. The Gardens’ legions of fans were heartbroken that the plan wouldn’t include a skating rink.

Then Loblaw’s plans stalled.

The company became distracted by a market share war with Wal-Mart, which had begun adding full supermarkets to its general merchandise stores. Loblaw had gone on the offensive introducing its Real Canadian SuperStore format to Ontario. The stores, which carried both food and general merchandise, had done well in Western Canada. But they failed to meet expectations in Ontario.

The company stopped building them.

There were other problems as well, including rumours the cost of restoring the Gardens to its former glory was running far higher than Loblaw had anticipated.

Then in 2009, Loblaw struck an innovative deal with nearby Ryerson University that would see the Gardens house a new NHL-sized arena above the supermarket.

Partnering with Ryerson, which badly needed a new student athletic centre and arena for its hockey team, silenced the critics and brought in government agencies to help finance the Gardens reconstruction.

The deal qualified for a federal infrastructure grant. Ottawa committed to provide up to $20 million of the $60 million Ryerson would need to build its share of the facilities.

Loblaw agreed to help raise another $20 million for the school, seeding the pot with a $5 million donation. Ryerson students would raise the other $20 million through a special $126 a year student fee.

Loblaw would build a smaller 70,000 square foot store, with a Joe Fresh outlet and LCBO.

The compromise won kudos.

Tim Morawetz, who documented the Gardens’ architectural features in his book Art Deco Architecture in Toronto, was a member of Friends of the Gardens, a group that fought valiantly to preserve it as a working arena.

“It would have been so special for all Canadians to be able to continue to experience the magic of the ice surface,” Morawetz said. Recognizing that wasn’t possible, he said, this is the next best thing. Loblaw has preserved its soaring art deco features and modern style, he said, while Ryerson has reintroduced a skating surface.

Loblaw says it has taken care to “celebrate the heritage of the building” inside the store as well. What that means remains to be seen when the building is opened to the public for the first time in more than a decade.

Former Toronto mayor John Sewell was also a Friend of the Gardens. Last month, he was invited by Ryerson to tour its share of the facilities.

Sewell says he stood on the future ice rink under the iconic dome at Maple Leaf Gardens last month and felt “tingly.”

But the Gardens isn’t out of the woods yet. MLSE is in litigation with Ryerson over the school’s apparent plans to use the rink for more than student hockey games.

That case is before the courts.

Rick Hansen relay in Woodstock on Nov 29

Local volunteerism hero Bill Gillespie to play significant role in Rick Hansen medal-bearer relay through Woodstock

The 25^th anniversary of the Rick Hansen Man In Motion World Tour will arrive in Woodstock on Tuesday, Nov 29 with a civic reception at Goff Hall at the community complex, 4 - 6 p.m.

The relay began on Aug 24 in Cape Spear – in the Atlantic Ocean and will continue all the way to the Pacific with over 7,000 participants.

This is another opportunity to show admiration for our nation, our city, and of course a national hero in Rick Hansen. A video about the life of Hansen will be played as part of the ceremony Tuesday at the Woodstock District Community Complex.

Recognized locally for his efforts in volunteerism and sports will be Bill Gillespie as the honourable medal bearer. More on his biography is listed below.

On the Rick Hansen Foundation website (rickhansenrelay.com) it is noted that this new coast-to-coast awareness and fundraiser is all about Hansen saying: “My Journey Becomes Our Journey.” Adding: “The funding is to assist people living with spinal cord injuries and creating accessible and inclusive communities.”

The area convoy on Nov 29 is to transport the medal (runners, cyclists, and of course by wheelchair) in its leg from London to Thamesford to Ingersoll to Woodstock.

Brad Janssen from the Woodstock community services department calls the Tuesday Woodstock event both a community celebration and a pep rally. He has organized many participants, including the St Mary’s High School cheerleaders.

I will be present as both the current chair of the Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee and as member of the Lions Club of Woodstock.

BILL GILLESPIE

Gold Medal at World Masters Games in basketball

2002 in 60-64 age group

1989 in 45-50 age group

Silver Medal at World Masters Games in basketball

2002 in 55-60 (Played on 2 teams)

1994 in 50-55 age group

Played university basketball at what was then Waterloo Lutheran (WLaurier).

Played competitive basketball for Woodstock Kings of the Central Ontario Intermediate League.

Organized the Terry Fox Run at the elementary and secondary school levels for both school boards in Oxford County for about 20 years

Currently is chair of the city-wide Terry Fox Run in early September.

Long-time member of Lions Club of Woodstock

At Huron Park Secondary School, coached basketball and track & field for many years.

Was convener of the annual boys’ Captains-Veterans high school basketball benefit showcase games.

Brand new hospital swings its doors open

A new era in healthcare begins today (Nov. 20, 2011) in Woodstock -- the opening of a brand new hospital.
The grand olde facility on Riddell Street closes its doors forever. According to the website www.wgh.on.ca, parts of the current medical facility date back to 1895. There have been many additions, renovations and facelifts over the years, but the era of a hospital fronting on Riddell and calling the block of Brant, Wellington and Vincent streets home is now over.
Under the 'Media Centre' headline on the wgh.on.ca homepage you can find a direct link to a terrific informative 46-page insert produced recently by the Woodstock Sentinel-Review (S-R), which did a very effective job introducing the various departments and amenities to be provided at the new Woodstock Hospital, which swings its doors open today for the first time with its first patient transfer scheduled at 6.am.
The new hospital has the capacity for 178 beds plus the dozens of out-patient services available. According to a Sentinel (S-R) story on Friday, approximately 80 patients will be part of the move today.
The shape of the building is interesting with an almost 5-prong design with the largest area for administration and emergency (ER), while the four arms also have specific uses. In the middle is a courtyard.
The location is important as it is in Woodstock's south for quick access on 401 for transportation purposes. The Juliana Drive / Athlone Avenue area has changed significantly in recent years when you also factor in the new Woodingford Lodge retirement home and residential subdivisions.
The list of people making the new hospital possible is extremely long from management to politicians, donors to fundraisers, doctors to nurses, construction crews to logistical planners.
The Woodstock Hospital Foundation board, and Building The Vision campaign (wghfoundation.ca; 519-421-4226) raised millions -- more than $25 million.
Hospital CEO and president Natasa Veljovic has been tying together all the loose strings throughout the process. Among those from the current hospital with a significant role in the entire transition has been vice president of services Perry Lang.
Since I write here, I can certainly do some name dropping (Not a thorough list). I think of Glen McDonald, the late David Lowes, Carole Wilson, Ed Down, Bill Carrothers, John McDougall, Harvey Hunt, Vicki Davey, Bill Mackesy, Paul LeRoy, Terry Thompson, Ann Ash, Sheri Knott, Diane Werby, Brent VanParys, Wilma Boughtflower, Ken Whiteford, Don Reeder, Brad Janssen, and many many more people who have sat on committees or balanced the books to organize the raising of dollars (Isabelle Baird, Jan Matwey, Donna Harcourt, Evelyn Barnett, Barbara Blott, Louise Tuffnail, Jean Caskey, . . . ) and keeping the idea of a brand new hospital alive for many years until the reality of this day.
Even though I'm a proud Royal LePage Realtor, I recognize the efforts of Century 21 locally and its annual Golden Gala benefit which set a goal, reached it and surpassed it. Funds have been earmarked to this project from the remarkable volunteer efforts of the hospital auxiliary, along with a tip-of-the-iceberg partial list of quilt sales, auctions, and walk-a-thons/races (Dairy Capital Run).
The hospital is also 'home' for more than 150 volunteers, who assist in various capacities.
Substantial donations arrived from many families -- Rogers (Communications), Wettlaufer, Jasinski, Lockwood, and others.
Initial provincial approval for a new hospital in Woodstock was granted way back in 2000, I believe.
The frustration of the process going forward from there must have been tremendous at times as the plan was to construct a brand new location, but government changes at the provincial level and many other factors resulted in delays. At the same time, how many bandaids and braces could be put on the old hospital to keep it operating.
I enjoyed one quote in particular in the S-R insert by Ed Down, chair of the current board of trust: "We have the building, the equipment and the room to adjust and evolve in an ever-changing environment. We are ready and able to chart the course for first class health care in Oxford County."
With London-based EllisDon as the main builder, the new hospital, which I toured on a Doors Open Oxford day, is a stunning jump into the future for our area. The consortium also includes Honeywell with a 30-year management contract as part of Integrated Team Solutions.
Construction teams included Stantec Engineering for grading, roads and parking, plus Parkin Architects, unique financing through Fengate, and of course Infrastructure Ontario.
Veljovic said it this way in the S-R: "It took a talented team of professionals and construction trades people to deliver what we consider the best designed and best built hospital in Ontario."
For the first time ever, Woodstock has its own MRI (diagnostic imaging) equipment. This is wonderful news for Oxford, but also good news for the district as it will lower the ever-increasing demand on London and other neighbouring community hospitals. The Siemen's developed and manufactured MRI machine will eventually be used by more than 3,000 patients per year.
The previous Woodstock hospital had a CT scanner. A brand new CT scanner was installed in the new hospital which is the new generation of technology -- 256 slices of information gathered per rotation. Wow!
The S-R report stated that the final building cost will amount to approximately $160 million for the 350,000 sq ft facility. Overall, there will be up to 178 inpatient beds, 23 ER rooms, an adjoining but separate out-patient department, five larger operating rooms (previous hospital had four), as many as 12 dialysis chairs (up from six), state-of-the-art obstetrics, expanded mental health department, a larger pharmacy and lab services, and 600 new computers.
A statement by Dr Pongrac Kocsis -- president of the medical staff -- said it best, noting this facility will attract more health-care professionals to Woodstock.
Also important news is that some services offered off-site in the past, will now be housed at the hospital, including speech therapy (impediments and other delays), which was several city blocks away at the medical office at the renovated old Princess St School. Nutrition and diabetes education will now be in the hospital and not elsewhere, such as the Vance building.
While I was steeping tea, I sifted through the S-R section quite a bit and must congratulate Heather Rivers on her department-by-department analysis.
Finally, naturally the cafeteria services include Tim Hortons, and with regular fare from Morrison On The Go.
Mark Schadenberg
Sales Representative
Royal LePage Triland
(519) 537-1553
Thinking of a move? New construction or re-sale? Call me about real estate in Oxford County.