A new Dog Guides National Training Centre is rising in Oakville, Ont. fuelled by equal parts design ingenuity, owner-contractor collaboration and community goodwill.
The $50-million, 89,000-square-foot project, a development of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, will replace an existing facility located in central Oakville.
The new facility will feature classrooms and training rooms for each of the seven Dog Guide programs, 35 accessible guest bedrooms to accommodate its national client base and improved indoor and outdoor spaces — setting the program up for greater success that isn’t possible at its current cramped facilities.
“Since the Dog Guides training centre opened in Oakville 40 years ago we have bred, raised, trained and matched more than 3,200 dog guides who have made a tremendous difference in the lives of Canadians with disabilities,” said foundation CEO Beverly Crandell.
“Demand for our dog guides has increased significantly over the years, resulting in long waiting lists. A new, larger, fully accessible training school will enable us to accommodate more applicants and train and match more dog guides.”
Custom designs for canine well-being
Every inch of the new facility is being custom-designed to optimize canine well-being, ensure client comfort and support trainer engagement, Crandell said.
Early in the process the design and construction team sat with Dog Guides staff to consult on specific needs.
“Our kennel staff was able to say, ‘Here are some of the challenges with our existing facility, and the importance of sanitation and air exchange, to make sure that our dogs stay healthy as well,’” she said. “‘And here are some of the challenges with different types of flooring. This type of flooring is really hard on their pads.’
“How do we make sure that clients are really comfortable when they are here?
“Because when you look at accessibility, it’s not just mobility issues. We’re looking at people with a range of differing abilities that we have to accommodate, which is incredibly complex.”
Central to the new school is a new “Puppy Training Room” that will be funded by a recent donation of $500,000 from the donor group Companions for Change as well as Pet Valu. The training room will be used by puppies, staff, puppy volunteers and foster parents, outfitted with a wall-sized mirror and equipped with raised beds, mats, hanging distractions, wobble boards, ramps and a grooming table, providing puppies with a strong start before they enter formal training.
The architectural firm Artistry initially worked with designers Turner Fleischer, which is now leading the design, while Turner Construction is the general contractor. BDA Architecture, which specializes in the design and construction of animal care facilities, has played a major role as well.
“This facility provides a tremendous mechanism…to create engagement that will better so many lives,” said Turner Construction Toronto vice-president Stuart Smith.
“The number of service animals that will go through the facility at the new facility will increase significantly. Training grounds will increase. Definitely it’ll be one-of-a-kind, having a hotel component for families where clients can learn and understand how to work with your dog.”
Lean principles ensure collaboration
The foundation was able to secure a 4.6-acre greenfield site in the rapidly growing town of Oakville — another feat, said Crandell.
Construction began a half-year ago with completion set for 2026, an ambitious timeframe that Smith said is achievable thanks to adherence to Lean project management principles and a phased-partner procurement model that he said is also very collaborative.
Everyone was in the room when the work schedule was developed, said Smith, including trade partners.
“We then put tools in place to ensure we monitor progress on a weekly work plan, per cent-complete basis, so it gives us real-time productivity analysis that enables us to adjust effectively and efficiently and keep the project on track,” he said.
So far $40 million of the $50-million fundraising target has been reached so there is more fundraising required, Crandell said, noting she is confident the foundation’s typically supportive community will come through.
The foundation is completely self-supporting, with donors covering the $35,000 it costs to train and place each dog guide.
Turner has adopted a dog that it will support through training, with the whole staff looking forward to following the dog’s progress through to adoption in 14 months, said Smith.
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This is the most positive and uplifting news I’ve read in a long while!! Bravo to the visionaries and supporters who help make a training facility like this a reality.