Ron Joyce - A bird’s eye view of the exterior therapeutic play area featuring elements reflective of the nearby Hamilton harbour, including steel smokestacks, iconic bridges, and the colourful trees of Cootes Paradise.  The cafeteria terrace can be seen to the left with the meandering wheeling track in the background of the image. Ron Joyce - A bird’s eye view of the exterior therapeutic play area featuring elements reflective of the nearby Hamilton harbour, including steel smokestacks, iconic bridges, and the colourful trees of Cootes Paradise.  The cafeteria terrace can be seen to the left with the meandering wheeling track in the background of the image.
Ron Joyce

Children’s Health Centre

location

Hamilton, Ontario

type

Children & Youth Services
DBF (Design Build Finance)

client

Hamilton Health Sciences’
McMaster Children’s Hospital

completed

2017

team

Stantec Architecture
PCL
Earthscape

 

The project delivers a consistent, site-wide natural theme, while still incorporating play areas which maximize therapeutic value for clients and their families.

The objective of the landscape development is to create a barrier free, welcoming environment that responds to the differing user needs at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre and to create strong connections to the community.

The Exterior Therapeutic Play Area and Wheeling Track is an intensely developed, naturalized garden which provides a magical play space for recreation, socializing, nature appreciation, strolling, and contemplation for clients, their families, staff, and volunteers. Vertechs Design collaborated with Earthscape to develop an accessible play area with elements reflective of the nearby Hamilton harbour, including steel smokestacks, iconic bridges, and the colourful trees of Cootes Paradise.

The Wheeling Track is an attractive walkway featuring flowering ornamental trees which create a naturalized edge to this secure garden space. It serves as a testing ground for clients of all ages engaged in mobility training, including manual and power wheelchair practice, gait training, and biking/triking.

Upper floor terraces offer opportunities for play immediately adjacent to the program areas they serve including the Autism Program, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Outpatient Clinic, and the Children’s Developmental Rehabilitation Program.

project highlights

Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre - main entrance plaza with curvilinear paved walkways, sod, stepping stones and trees Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre - main entrance plaza with curvilinear paved walkways, sod, stepping stones and trees
Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre - curvilinear walkway lined with large rocks and crushed stone Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre - curvilinear walkway lined with large rocks and crushed stone
Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - playground with coloured wood play structures Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - playground with coloured wood play structures
Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - overhead view of play area enclosed by fence and surrounded by curvilinear pathways and greenery Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - overhead view of play area enclosed by fence and surrounded by curvilinear pathways and greenery
Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - children looking out building window at play structure Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - children looking out building window at play structure
Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - seat area with raised planters enclosed by brick building walls and slatted roof Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - seat area with raised planters enclosed by brick building walls and slatted roof
Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - slide mounted on sloped coloured rubber safety surface Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - slide mounted on sloped coloured rubber safety surface
Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - children playing in paved courtyard with variety of walking materials Ron Joyce Children's Healthcare Centre - children playing in paved courtyard with variety of walking materials
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