Transforming Lives Here: Grand Opening of the first buildings of CAMH’s bold redevelopment and 10th Anniversary celebration

For Immediate Release – June 17, 2008 – (TORONTO) – On June 26, 2008, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) marks its 10^th anniversary with the Grand Opening of the first phase of the redevelopment of its historic Queen Street site-- an award-winning project which will transform a stigmatized psychiatric facility into a mixed-use ‘urban village.’  Four specially-designed new buildings for CAMH client care, a newly created street and a public park will be inaugurated during a street festival celebration featuring musical entertainment, guided tours of the new facilities and an extreme ribbon cutting ceremony.

“This marks the first step toward our goal of building a neighbourhood centred on care,” said Dr. Paul Garfinkel, CAMH President and CEO. “An inclusive place where people with mental illness or addictions are fully integrated into the wider community, where cutting-edge hospital facilities blend seamlessly with local shops, galleries and residences. What could be a better way to celebrate CAMH’s tenth anniversary than by seeing the first phase of our vision become a reality?” 

For the first time, CAMH will unveil the ‘Alternate Milieu’ units, which provide a new home-like environment for treatment of people with mental illness and addictions. Aimed at creating a natural transition toward community reintegration, these units are designed to empower clients to regain their independence and assert control over their recovery plan.

CAMH’s historic 27-acre site housed the first Provincial ‘Lunatic Asylum’ in 1850 -- and had remained largely sequestered from the community ever since.  With this Grand Opening, CAMH begins transforming a significant section of Queen Street West into a welcoming mixed-use community where patient care and services for people with mental illness and addictions will exist side by side with businesses, restaurants and homes. Newly-created city blocks and through streets will connect the new urban village to one of Toronto’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. 

"This unique redevelopment speaks volumes about CAMH’s bold approach to mental health and addictions, but says even more about the way we as a society are moving away from the stigma of the past,” said Dr. Garfinkel. “It should be a source of pride for everyone in our city.”

Terry Montgomery of Montgomery Sisam Architects, one of the architects of CAMH’s redevelopment, sees it as an important city-building initiative for Toronto

“These new buildings are tangible proof that we are changing our attitudes about hospitals and cities, to their mutual advantage, Montgomery said. “New accommodations for patients are intricately woven into a context of courtyards, streets and parks that are an integral part of the existing neighbourhood. An environment for healing and wellness is created, which also contributes to the mending and enrichment of the surrounding city fabric.”

“This historic opening celebration marks the first step toward our goal of breaking down the barriers between our clients and the community-- between ‘us’ and ‘them,’" Dr. Garfinkel added. “We have been looking forward to this day for a decade.”

Join VIPs, CAMH clients, staff, community partners, neighbours and well-wishers in front of its new buildings on White Squirrel Way for the street fair, grand opening ceremonies and tours of the new buildings.

When and Where

Thursday June 26 at 11 am.

Western edge of the CAMH site at 1001 Queen Street West between Ossington Ave. and Dovercourt Road.

The formal ceremony will begin at 11AM. Remarks will be given by:

Olivia Chow, MP Trinity-Spadina

Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion

Rosario Marchese, MPP Trinity Spadina

Adam Vaughan, Toronto City Councillor

Taborah Johnson, Canadian Radio personality

Peter Smith, Artist and former CAMH Client

Dr. Paul Garfinkel, President and CEO, CAMH

Paul Beeston, Chair of the Board of Trustees, CAMH

Photo op:

The Honourable Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion will take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Media tours:

 Will begin at 12 PM, following the formal program.

Media please note:

CAMH clients cannot be identified by the media without their consent.

Please check in at the media table upon arrival.

For more information, please contact: Michael Torres, Media Relations, CAMH at (416) 595-6015.

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the area of addiction and mental health. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.

CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development, prevention and health promotion to transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues.

CAMH was formed in 1998 as a result of the merger of the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, the Addiction Research Foundation, the Donwood Institute and Queen Street Mental Health Centre.

 

 

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