Local Community Group Ready to Start Construction on a new Gravenhurst Health Hub
Gravenhurst, ON — November 5, 2025: The grass roots community collaboration between the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst and the local Family Health Team has met their first milestone. The Board of both the Rotary Club and Cottage Country Family Health Team have approved moving to tender for the first Phase of renovations to the vacant top floor at 5 Pineridge Gate.
“Our community is facing a primary health care crisis and doing nothing is not an option,” said Bruce Hemphill, Chair of The Gravenhurst Health Hub Steering Committee. “We’re coming together – with care providers, our community and government – to bring to life an innovative yet practical solution for all of Muskoka.”
Tom Long, President of the Rotary Club said “I am immensely proud of what our Club and generous community donors have been able to achieve by working together. In combination with the Town and District funding, we have now surpassed $950,000 in funds raised and are thrilled to be able to proceed with the first phase of the project.”
The Town of Gravenhurst and the District of Muskoka are behind the project and provided $200,000 in funding each. Gravenhurst Mayor Heidi Lorenz said, “It was a unanimous decision of our Town Council to put our support behind this project to complete space that has been vacant for over 15 years. On behalf of council and staff, I want to congratulate the Rotary Club, the Family Health Team, and the community on reaching this important next milestone. It is heartwarming to see so many people supporting the health hub project. We look forward to seeing the renovation work begin.”
“We could not have done this without the leadership from the Rotary Club. This is a huge step forward to providing space for new providers and new programs and services to make primary care available to all of residents in Gravenhurst and South Muskoka” said Dr. Tina Kappos, Chair of the Cottage Country Family Health Team Board.
The Steering Committee is aiming to begin construction in January following a competitive tender process. The construction is being supported by generous in-kind donations from Chamberlain Timbermart through assistance with building materials. Doug Chamberlain, said “Our family business has been a part of this community for 74 years and we are happy to be supporting this amazing project.”
About the Gravenhurst Health Hub
Gravenhurst and area are severely under-resourced in primary health care providers and allied health professionals. Over 6,000 residents—almost half of the population—do not have a local family physician or nurse practitioner, leaving them without essential care and having to travel long distances or utilize the hospital emergency department.
The goal is to create a convenient healthcare home in South Muskoka for all residents that provides expanded access to a full continuum of health and social services in one multi-service, multi-function space. The project aims to renovate and complete over 12,000 square feet of space located on the second floor of the Cottage Country Family Health Team in Gravenhurst.
The project is set out in three phases. The first phase, at an estimated cost of $750,000 will complete the bathrooms, floors, ceilings, walls, electrical and plumbing for the space to make it ready for leasehold improvements by Spring 2026. The new space could accommodate enough primary care providers and interprofessional team members, including, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, mental health workers to provide care to all residents. It also aspires to introduce new programs such as a visiting specialist program, diagnostic imaging, after hours care and possibly a new primary care teaching clinic.
The Cottage Country Family Health Team is applying on November 14th to the provincial government for operational funding for 10 new positions for the Gravenhurst Hub site. The province is expected to make decisions on this funding by April 2026.
The Gravenhurst Health Hub Steering Committee (a partnership between the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst and Cottage Country Family Health Team) and its five subcommittees is comprised of over 60 community volunteers who have been spearheading this project, hosting fundraising events and raising awareness.
Cottage Country Family Health Team has an online wait list for residents seeking a provider at www.ccfht.ca and sign up to the provincial Health Care Connect site is encourage at www.ontario.ca/healthcareconnect
Media Contact
For more information or photos, please contact Rotary Communications Lead Kathryn McGill at mentalprep@hotmail.com or www.gravenhursthealthhub.ca.
For more information about Cottage Country Family Health Team or the proposed health care services contact Trish Mintz, Executive Director at tmintz@ccfht.ca
