Canadore College receives private donation for health centre

A unique project at Canadore College in North Bay received some good news recently.

David Ding and Sapna Thakur, two entrepreneurs from Toronto, Ont., donated $1 million to The Village, a 30,000 square foot health and wellness centre, which is currently under development at the school's College Drive location.

Richard Peters, the college's vice president of finance, corporate service and International, said the Village will be dedicated to health and well-being, integrating Indigenous, Eastern and Western healing and wellness practices.

"We realize that bringing in traditional Chinese medicine, also the Ayuravedic healing practices of India added a really complimentary dimension to what we are already doing," Peters said.

Along with being a health facility, Peters said the facility will also provide learning opportunities.

"This will add a learning complex where students are not only learning, but able to participate in health care through student-run clinics for general health, dental hygiene, safety mobility, and other such things," Peters said.

The $20 million project is expected to be completed by July, with the official opening in time for the 2018-19 academic year.

Canadore received funding from the federal and provincial governments, and well as private donors and other non-government funds.

A capital campaign will continue over the next two years to raise the remainder needed for the project.

The college said that Ding and Thakur's donation will be used to create a healing garden outside the facility.