New leader for Collingwood hospital foundation board

The local hospital foundation’s board of directors has a new leader. 

Michael Dick was elected chair of the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital Foundation board of directors at the end of last week for a two year term. 

In a news release from the hospital foundation, the newly-elected Dick commended the foundation for its work over the past several decades as the charity has worked to meet the funding challenges set by the hospital. 

While a hospital’s day-to-day operating costs are funded by the provincial government, capital costs such as new equipment, renovations, and programs and services have to be raised by the foundation. 

Ninety per cent of all the equipment and technology at the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital was purchased with funds raised by community support. 

“I feel honoured and privileged to work with the current board members and our terrific foundation staff for the next two years as board chair to raise the funds required for our redevelopment project so we can give our physicians, nurses, and staff the tools, equipment, and state-of-the-art facilities they deserve to facilitate a high-level of patient care when needed,” said Dick in the news release.

The province has approved stage one of a five-stage process that will end in a new or redeveloped hospital in Collingwood. 

According to information on the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital website, the province will cover 90 per cent of construction costs for a new or redeveloped hospital and the hospital will have to raise enough money to cover the remaining 10 per cent of construction costs and 100 per cent of the equipment, parking, and land costs (if applicable). This is referred to as a “local share” and can include municipal funding, donations from the community, and hospital revenue streams (such as parking fees or the gift shop sales). 

“This next campaign will be our biggest challenge to date,” said Dick in the news release. “It will require everyone to contribute in some way as we will be raising funds to develop a hospital that will serve South Georgian Bay for generations to come. This will be a lasting and useful legacy that this generation can put in place for our children’s children.” 

Dick is a full-time Collingwood resident and has been coming to the area on weekends for much of his life. He is a principal/shareholder with the Osborne Group in Toronto, and graduated from Queen’s University in 1977 with a BSc. in math and engineering. 

The hospital foundation’s president and CEO Jory Pritchard-Kerr welcomed Dick into his new role as chair of the board. 

“We also want to extend our gratitude and appreciation to Jack Marley and his contribution as board chair for the past two years,” said Pritchard-Kerr in the release. “Jack’s commitment to the foundation has proved invaluable and his contributions will leave a profound impact on the communities of South Georgian Bay.” 

Marley will serve on the board as past-chair for the next two years. 

For more information about the hospital foundation, visit collingwoodhospital.com.