Community leaders gathered on Friday morning to celebrate the start of work on the expansion at Hospice Quinte in Bayside.
Community leaders gathered Friday morning to mark the beginning of construction on an expansion project that will strengthen access to compassionate end-of-life care for local residents.
Hospice Quinte officially broke ground on its “More Heart. More Home.” expansion at the Stan Klemencic Care Centre in Bayside, a project aimed at meeting the growing needs of the community.
Executive Director Petra Lepage highlighted the impact the expansion will have once complete. Increasing capacity to 10 beds, the enhanced facility is expected to reduce existing wait lists and provide dignified palliative care services to an additional 200 individuals and their loved ones each year.
A significant feature of the expansion will be the creation of Canada’s first dedicated palliative care suite for veterans, offering a specialized space to honour and support those who have served the country.
Beyond its active military presence, Bay of Quinte is home to one of Ontario’s largest veteran populations. Lt.-Col. (Retd.) Skip Simpson, who assists veterans and their families as a representative for Bay of Quinte MP Chris Malette, and District F Commander Al Plume have provided valuable insights to Hospice Quinte as the project progresses. Both expressed their gratitude in seeing construction begin.
“Many veterans and their loved ones spend their final days within hospice, and this project ensures their service is recognized in a meaningful and permanent way,” said Simpson. “The room will serve as a place of remembrance and a supportive environment for families who wish to reflect on their loved one’s military journey.”
The project has been made possible in part through the generosity of the Klemencic Family, whose leadership gift provided the critical seed funding to launch the initiative. In recognition of their contribution and longstanding commitment to hospice care, the new wing will be named in honour of Paula Klemencic.
The expansion represents a meaningful step forward in ensuring more individuals and families in the region can access compassionate, dignified care when they need it most.