Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the new Wellness Centre all about?
A: The new Wellness Centre will be a hub for community health and community space for the under-served northern areas of Kawartha Lakes.
By renovating and expanding the historic Train Station building in Coboconk, the Centre will offer more doctors and after-hours care, along with dental, physio, and many more services while preserving an important piece of our area’s history. Expanded space through new construction, new parking, and better road access are all part of the new plans.
The Wellness Centre will have a long-term impact on the health of our communities and will act as a lever for new economic growth in our area.
By providing space for these services below, the needs of people in this area will be better served and the strain on current health care services offered in Lindsay and Minden will be alleviated.
Q: How are we going to get doctors?
A: We are very fortunate to have three great partners in order to have more doctor and nurse practitioner care for people in the northern areas of Kawartha Lakes!
Dr. Warsi from Coboconk is interested in being located from his temporary portable office to the new Wellness Centre.
The Kawartha Lakes Health Care Initiative Board & Staff have been partners from the beginning of this project and are already working on recruiting doctors and nurse practitioners for the new Wellness Centre.
The Kawartha North Family Health Team have, in principal, agreed to partner in the Wellness Centre by assisting in designing efficient and functional spaces, and operating a Family Health Team location at the Wellness Centre once built.
Q: How will we pay for the new Wellness Centre?
A: The Wellness Centre project is an opportunity for all levels of Government and the Community to work together to improve the lives of those living in and visiting our rural area.
The total Project Budget is $7 million.
The City of Kawartha Lakes has committed $1.5 million to the new Wellness Centre.
We are working with the provincial and federal government to secure commitments for $4.5 million.
As a Community, we are committed to raising $1 million to make the Wellness Centre a reality ... and that’s where YOU come in! By making a donation to the Wellness Centre, you will help to bring much-needed health and wellness services to our area, help more seniors stay in their homes for longer, encourage more families to join our Community, foster more investment, and bring more good jobs to the area.
Our first community fundraiser, Camping for a Cause: Go Wild for the Wellness Centre held in the summer of 2020, raised approximately $25,000 and we were thrilled with the success! This year, the Jump In The Lake Challenge is taking place on May 1 and is generating lots of excitement.
It is amazing to see our communities come together for such an important project, and more fundraising initiatives are in the works.
If you would like to support the Wellness Centre, click on the following link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-wellness-centre/
Q: Why should seasonal residents care about the Wellness Centre?
A: The new Wellness Centre will serve not only year-round residents but also seasonal residents’ needs as well. Here are some of the services seasonal residents might find of interest:
Walk In Clinic Care
No more long waits at the Emergency Department
Massage, Physio and other wellness services
More local services means better return on your real estate investment
Convenience – quality health care available in our Communities
Q: Why does the northern area of Kawartha Lakes need a Wellness Centre?
A: There has been a long-time perception of the community that there are not enough health services in the northern area of Kawartha Lakes. Although the community of Coboconk is very grateful to have a long-time family doctor, there are many who are still without a family doctor both in Coboconk and in its surrounding communities. No after-hours care exists in the north, and the need for this has been heard clearly. The nearest hospitals are 30-60 minutes away, and their emergency departments report high levels of patients utilising emergency department services for non-emergencies.
Given the fact that the original Coboconk Medical Centre building was shut down 4 years ago due to a compromised foundation and the family doctor was moved into a temporary portable building until a solution was found, it is clear that a more permanent solution is needed for health services in the north. A location in Coboconk can serve as a hub for its surrounding communities.
Q: What partners are involved?
A: There are a lot of partners involved in this project to ensure its success! More than 20 community and health groups have come forward in support of the new Wellness Centre.
In addition to the wonderful partners listed in the chart below, key partners are: the Coboconk Medical Centre Trust, the City of Kawartha Lakes, the Kawartha Lakes Health Care Initiative, Kawartha North Family Health Team, Coboconk Railway Station Restoration Committee, and the Shedden Historical Society.
We are also so excited to have these community groups come forward in support of the new Wellness Centre!
Q: Who is leading this project?
A: The Coboconk, Norland & Area Chamber of Commerce (CNACC) is spear-heading this initiative. After a deputation to City Council in September of 2018 presenting the issues surrounding a lack of access to health care for residents in the northern areas of Kawartha Lakes, together with the demolition of the former Coboconk Medical Centre, Council requested that the Chamber conduct a feasibility report and provided City funds for this purpose. A Feasibility Report was completed in 2020 and was the result of 18 months of community consultation, primary data collection, research on the gaps in care according to the MOHLTC, site evaluations, and building concept design. You can find the feasibility report and its appendices here.
The Chamber continues to lend its support to the project by pursuing provincial and federal funding for the Wellness Centre, and working together with its partners to prepare the site for the renovations and construction, to prepare the building design so that it’s a place where doctors are excited to work, and to work together with the community to raise $1 million towards the Wellness Centre.
Q: Is the City of Kawartha Lakes supportive of the new Wellness Centre?
A: City Council and municipal staff have been very supportive of the concept right from the beginning. The feasibility study was received with unanimous support from Council to proceed. Council has committed the following to the Wellness Centre:
$1.5 million in funding
Municipal Staff support
The Wellness Centre in Coboconk is included in the City’s Strategic Plan 2020-2023.
There is a recognition by City Council that the Wellness Centre is not just important for the northern area of Kawartha Lakes, but to the municipality as a whole: Mayor Letham has been quoted as saying:
“This is not just a ward one project. This is a Kawartha Lakes project. This wellness centre will take pressure off both Ross Memorial Hospital and Minden General Hospital, benefiting the whole city.” Mayor Andy Letham, from the Lindsay Advocate
Q: How do I get involved?
A: As a community, we are committed to raising $1 million to make the Wellness Centre a reality… and that’s where YOU come in! By making a donation to the Wellness Centre, you will help to bring much-needed health and wellness services to our area, help more seniors stay in their homes for longer, encourage more families to join our community, foster more investment, and bring more good jobs to the area.
Do you have an idea to help raise funds? Do you know of some potential partners for the Wellness Centre? Would you like to commemorate a beloved person or place? We would love to hear from you!
Q: How will the history of the building and community be showcased?
A: The new Wellness Centre is designed to honour the unique history of the area, preserving key elements of the Train Station and displaying historical artifacts and stories interspersed throughout the building, thanks to the efforts of the Shedden Historical Society.
With the new Wellness Centre at its heart, we hope to see a revitalization of the Legion Park property with more recreation programming and equipment opportunities and a hope that the undeveloped land behind the Train Station will attract the development of seniors-focused housing options. A real Community hub of activity!
Here’s a little history of the Train Station and its importance to the area!
The Coboconk Train Station was the end of the line for the Toronto & Nipissing Railway. The original station was built in 1872, then rebuilt in 1908 in its present state after a lightning strike that burned it to the ground. This building is unique in that it was also designed to serve as the station master’s residence. The station then became the property of the Grand Trunk, The Midland and the Canadian National Railroad.
George Laidlaw was an early advocate and investor for the railway to Coboconk where it became the centre of activity for both commerce and tourism. The railway brought much needed supplies to the Community and on return trips shipped lumber and produce to market.
1965 signaled the end of service for the Coboconk Train Station. After the lifting of the tracks, it served as storage for a local building centre, before being re-located to the top of Legion Park for restoration and to use for Community events.
The Coby Train Station is one of 10 remaining of the 60 or more stations that at one time served the people of the former Victoria County, now the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Q: Who are the key volunteers on this project?
Q: What is the status of the Wellness Centre?
A: The project continues to move forward, step-by-step. Our goal is to be shovel-ready by the end of 2021. We are working to secure funding commitments from the federal and provincial governments now in order to begin construction as soon as possible.
Feasibility Study completed
Design Concepts completed
Structural Engineering and Environmental Evaluation of the Train Station building completed
Site preparation activities are now underway!
Q: Would it be cheaper to construct a new building?
A: While it may be true that constructing a new building might cost less, there aren’t many land options in the area that would allow for the space necessary to house all the services that the proposed Wellness Centre will offer. Renovating and expanding the existing train station will also allow us to keep an important historical building in our community. It is proposed that the original train station building be preserved, and celebrated, while being expanded to accommodate the services required by the community. That the new Wellness Centre is being constructed on City-owned property allows funding to go towards service delivery instead of land costs.
Q: Why choose the Train Station site?
A: Several potential sites for a wellness centre were explored. These sites included:
The site of the former Coboconk Medical Centre – although having the benefits of being City property and having a high walk-ability score, future foundation issues and insufficient space for building, parking, and future expansion ruled out this possibility.
The site of the former Coboconk school in the centre of town – despite having a high walk-ability score, the drawbacks of being private property (and therefore adding significant cost to the construction of the building) and insufficient space for building, parking, and future expansion ruled out this possibility.
The current OPP station on County Road 48 outside of Coboconk – the fact that this building is not currently available for sale, as well insufficient space for building, parking, and future expansion ruled out this possibility. Its distance from a town is also a drawback.
The Coboconk Train Station and Legion Park property – this property has the benefit of being City-owned (reducing costs), close to town, part of a recreation park with programming potential, large available areas for expansion and parking, large development potential behind the existing train station for complementary services and construction, such as seniors living. This property scored lower on walkability than some of the potential sites, and plans will incorporate the desire for this moving forward.
The site of the existing Coboconk Train Station demonstrates the most benefit to the community. This proposal solves two issues: it provides a permanent facility for the provision of medical and wellness services to an under-served population, and it provides a new use for the under-utilized train station building.
Q: If the ‘tenants’ will be for-profit businesses, why are we (the community) funding it?
A: For-profit Tenants form the cornerstone for the sustainability of the Wellness Centre. However, the community space in the lower level remains to serve the community which will include small and large meeting rooms along with a kitchen, washrooms, etc. Partnerships are also being built with groups such as Community Care, United Way, and Boys and Girls Club to offer enhanced programming to the area residents. Additionally, Ross Memorial Hospital is interested in offering pre and post-operative care right here in the community. All tenants – businesses and community organizations – will be serving the health and wellness needs of the northern area of Kawartha Lakes.
Q: Will the Wellness Centre have after-hours care?
A: Based on 3 community consultations, as well as the health needs assessment survey, after-hours services and walk-in clinic hours were identified as a top priority by the community. We are working on a model that will bring these services to the Wellness Centre for year-round and seasonal residents.
Q: How do I get more information?
A: We would love to hear from you!
Contact: Jennifer Wilson, General Manager, Coboconk, Norland & Area Chamber of Commerce
705-454-1110 or jwilson@coboconknorland.ca
