Townsend Smith Foundation Plans Net-Zero 10-Bed Hospice in Milton, Preserving Hillcrest United Church Sanctuary

By Laura Steiner, Local Journalism Initiative, Milton Reporter

The Townsend Smith Foundation (TSF) purchased property along Trafalgar Road at Hillcrest United Church in 2022 to build a 10-bed residential hospice facility. A request for proposals (RFP) was sent out last year and included the condition that the facility be net-zero.

Initially, they thought the only way to build the hospice was to remove the sanctuary, but that was part of the request for proposals.

“The challenge with that sanctuary was that we either keep it or demolish it,” said Executive Director Kim Kohlberger.

“We looked at the space and saw it was workable,” architect Deb Westman said of the sanctuary. Then it became a matter of moving some of the building’s additions to accommodate the electrical systems.

“The hospice design, including the existing sanctuary space for community use, was so welcomed by the Hillcrest trustees and congregation. It is heartwarming to know celebrations and support will continue on this property,” said Doug McDonnel, chair of the Hillcrest United Church Board of Trustees.

The sustainable approach will begin in the construction phase. “It will be all-electric,” said Westman, of the Ventin Group. The sanctuary’s roof will be replaced, as will the building’s exterior insulation. The plan includes maximizing the window-to-wall ratio and using fiberglass for the windows.

“They have better thermal properties than aluminum windows,” Westman added. Wood will be incorporated into the construction, on the building’s exterior and some finishes, and will be locally sourced where possible.

The hospice will include on-site laundry facilities, including an industrial-sized washer. “We’re trying to make sure we have just enough— not too much in the way of dryers,” Kohlberger said. The team hopes to use only two dryers.

“Less is better, because we’re not using gas, which means the electrical bills are going to be higher,” Kohlberger said. The hospice will have its own grid and solar panels.

80% of Capital Costs Required Before Construction

The average cost to operate a 10-bed residential hospice in Ontario is between $3 million and $4 million per year. Half of these costs are medical and will be covered by the province of Ontario.

Community fundraising will cover non-medical costs, including administrative salaries, landscaping, and some building spaces. The foundation hopes to break ground this summer, but that depends on fundraising 80 per cent of the capital costs. Last September, the province committed to funding an additional 84 hospice beds. The first beds have been allocated to facilities that will be ready to open by March 2026.

“We won’t be able to take advantage of those beds. But I did apply for the second tranche, to be part of that second wave,” Kohlberger said. Specifics surrounding the second round of beds depend on the outcome of a provincial election.

For more information about the Townsend Smith Foundation, visit their website at www.townsend-smith.ca.