Toronto’s Ukrainian
Community Opens their Home and Hearts
On Saturday, October 18, 2008 an all ages crowd of 600 plus overflowed the tent and watched the ceremony and blessing of the new 4th Floor and Tower on large screens at the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre’s Grand Opening. The Most Reverend Archbishop Yurij, The Most
Reverend Bishop Stephen Chmilar, Bishop John Pazak and Bishop Cornelius Pasichny lead the religious service and blessed The Mystical Supper prints, copies of a 1678 icon from the village of Dobryany - Lviv, Ukraine, that were placed in the tower’s new on-floor dining rooms.James C. Temerty, Co-Chair, Home with a Heart Campaign and
Chairman of Northland Power, and his wife Louise donated $750,000. Vera and
Andrew Witer, his sister Marta Witer and Ian Ihnatowycz, Co-Chair, Home with a Heart Campaign, and
Oksana and Ihor Komarnicky donated $500,000 in honour of their parents. Other major donors from the community,
businesses and corporations were in attendance.
The Care Centre has raised over $8 million of their goal of $9 million
for construction and expansion.
Victor Lishchyna, President of the Board of
Directors thanked everyone for their support and acknowledged the volunteers
and others participating in the celebration, including the Honourable George
Smitherman, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Deputy Premier of Ontario
and MPP for Toronto Centre, recently re-elected MP for Etobicoke Centre - Borys
Wrzesnewskyj, Gloria Lindsay-Luby, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 4, the
Right Reverend Father John Tataryn and Sandy Lomaszewycz, Executive
Director.
The Ukrainian Youth Ensemble’s religious, folk,
contemporary, and ceremonial repertoire punctuated the religious ribbon cutting
and appreciation ceremony which was followed by a reception with refreshments
provided by the Ukrainian community.
The Home
with a Heart Campaign continues to raise funds for the long awaited
completion of the 32 bed leading edge secure unit for seniors with behaviour
management care needs due to cognitive disorders such as dementia and
Alzheimer’s Disease, the construction of the four-story tower, a new elevator
and building system upgrades. The
Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre can now provide services to 152 residents, in a
culturally focused home. Admission to
the Care Centre is coordinated through the Etobicoke-York Community Care Access
Centre.