This Ronald McDonald House replaced the one that had been at 26 Gerrard Street East.
The House's website (
visit link) has a lot of information about the site and the services they provide for kids and their families.
This newspaper article (
visit link) from November 18, 2011 reports on the opening:
"Ronald McDonald House opens its doors
Newer and bigger home away from home for kids with
Staff photo/DAN PEARCERonald McDonald House...Evelyn Potts, 13 months, plays with her mother Heather during the official opening ceremony for the new Ronald McDonald House Toronto held at the McCaul Street site on Friday. Evelyn was a resident at the old house when she was having heart surgery.12Children receiving treatment at SickKids and other downtown hospitals and their families have an improved home away from home with the opening of the new - and bigger - Ronald McDonald House in downtown Toronto.
The site held an official opening this morning, though some families had moved in earlier in the week.
The new facility, at 240 McCaul St., replaces the former Ronald McDonald House Toronto on Gerrard Street. In addition to being steps away from the Hospital for Sick Children and Mount Sinai Hospital, the new facility will feature 96 bedrooms and provide space for 81 families - three times as many as the old site could accommodate.
Heather Potts, who stayed at the former Ronald McDonald House Toronto while her now 13-month-old daughter Evelyn was awaiting a heart transplant, said being able to stay at the site was a definite boon. During her stay, she quickly grew to appreciate the work being done at Ronald McDonald House.
"It really is like a home away from home, only better," she said. "If we were at home, we wouldn't have had the support we had here from the staff and from other families who were going through similar kinds of experiences."
Potts said she had originally wanted to stay in a hotel while Evelyn was in the hospital, as she did not want to be reminded of her daughter's condition through constant interaction with parents of other seriously ill children.
"I changed my mind pretty quickly because (Ronald McDonald House) made life seem normal, but also did other things to make our time there a special experience," she said. "It was great; if you wanted to talk you could, but if you wanted privacy, you had that."
The rooms will allow families from outside the Toronto area to stay with their sick children as they receive the treatment they need at leading medical facilities. Families are charged $15 per night throughout their stay.
Donors raised some $32.5 million to help build the 100,000 square foot facility.
It features kitchens, private and common areas, outdoor play space, a school and plenty of games and activities to keep youngsters entertained.
Ronald McDonald House Toronto executive director Jane Marco noted the need for the new, larger facility was much needed given that demand for the old site far outstripped the number of available spaces.
"The need was clear and pressing," she said. "Our turn-away rate peaked at over 70 per cent in recent years."
Marco added the new Ronald McDonald House offers amenities that were not possible at the old Gerrard Street location.
"One of the greatest features of this location is that (children) now have access to outdoor space - an outdoor playground and a tranquility garden where they can go and enjoy some peace and quiet," she said.
The in-house school provides educational programming to ensure children receiving treatment and their siblings don't miss out on schooling while they are receiving treatment. Classes are divided into age groups, with both common sessions and personalized lessons available.
George Cohon, founder of Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada said the new house will make an indelible impact on the lives of countless families.
"Over the decades, there are going to be tens of thousands of people helped in this house, but we keep helping them one at a time," he said."