WATERLOO -- The new Gies Family Centre has been given a virtual grand opening.
The Hospice of Waterloo Region event was held online on Sunday and hosted by CTV News chief anchor Lisa Laflamme.
The new facility in North Waterloo is 27,000 square feet and will provided expanded spaces for programs to help people nearing the end of life.
It also includes ten residence beds, a medical clinic, education rooms, a hair salon, day programs, and therapy rooms.
It will serve around 200 people a year in addition to the 1,300 already being served in the community.
The centre, named in honour of cornerstone donors Bill and Gerts Gies, has been serving people for about a week prior to the grand opening.
"I would expect over the next couple of weeks and months it's going to start getting really busy," said Judy Nairn, the executive director of Hospice of Waterloo Region. "Hopefully with the pandemic and the vaccinations coming through, people will feel more comfortable and more confident and we will be able to fully utilize the building."
Construction for the building took about 16 months to complete.
