PCL Construction gets loud to raise awareness and funds for SickKids

TORONTO — PCL Construction led over 4,000 SickKids patients, family members, staff and supporters at the GetLoud march through the streets of downtown Toronto Sept. 28 to raise awareness and funds to build a new hospital campus.

PCL partnered with the SickKids Foundation and took on the presenting role of its largest signature event, GetLoud, a one-day, family-friendly fundraiser. Following the march, participants celebrated with food, fun and a music festival. The event raised $2.2 million for the SickKids VS Limits campaign.

PCL is the construction manager for the Patient Support Centre (PSC), the first step for SickKids’ full campus redevelopment plan, Project Horizon. To raise the required $1.3 billion to build a new hospital campus, SickKids Foundation launched the fundraising campaign SickKids VS Limits, indicates a release.

Once complete, the PSC will house the hospital’s education, simulation and core administrative services in a modern, technology-enabled and sustainable office tower.

Demolition of the existing structure — which will be replaced by the new tower — is well underway, with new construction slated to begin in late fall.

Leah Traviss, a project manager with PCL, led the entire march crew at the fundraiser Sept. 28. She has a personal connection with SickKids which started while pregnant with her son.

“At approximately 36 weeks, we found out that it was highly likely that he would be born with a genetic disorder called Cystic Fibrosis (CF),” explained Traviss in a testimonial. “That same day, my husband and I were sent to meet the team at SickKids CF Clinic to learn a bit more about this condition, and they welcomed us with open arms…SickKids has been extremely helpful to us thus far, and we are so lucky to have such a great support team there for us whenever we have any questions or concerns about our son’s well-being. Lincoln will require check-ups every three to four months at SickKids until he turns 18, so for us, this is just the beginning of our story.”