Cassi Hider, fund development co-ordinator Ronald McDonald House Charities® Alberta, stands in what will be the open-plan kitchen overlooking the dining and living room areas.--NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Converting an older bungalow into a 4,100 square-foot Ronald McDonald House in Medicine Hat has reached an exciting stage as rooms inside emerge.
A new entrance on the side of the house leads into a hall and then an office area. There is a spacious and light-flooded open-concept kitchen, dining room and living room.
The Ronald McDonald House will be for those with sick children receiving medical care at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. It will be accommodation for those coming to Medicine Hat for medical treatment or day services for families already living in the Hat.
On each of the three levels of the house there are two complete family suites, each with its own bathroom.
Every room in the house has been sponsored to cover the cost of interior design and decor – about 19 rooms in total. There was a tremendous response from the community, said Suzanne Pescod, director of marketing and communications Ronald McDonald House Charities® Alberta.
In the basement there is a full laundry and another very special room that will be pure magic.
Each Ronald McDonald House across the province has a uniquely themed “magic room.” The theme for Medicine Hat has yet to be officially announced but someone is working on an unforgettable design. One in Alberta is an underwater theme creating an ethereal feel. Another is a castle.
The magic room is a place where children staying there can go and choose a gift for themselves but it goes way beyond that to make it a magical and memorable experience.
“It is a special experience for every child … It could be their first day staying at the house, the day they finished medical treatment, it could be they’ve had a difficult day,” said Pescod.
The official opening of Ronald McDonald House is expected to take place some time in March 2020.
You don’t have to wait until then to experience just how special it all is though.
On Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m. Light the House in Medicine Hat will take place. At 6 p.m. that evening the Christmas lights on the exterior of the home, near the intersection of Fourth Street SW and Sixth Avenue, will be illuminated. The public is welcome to attend.
They will be serving hot chocolate. There will be singing of Christmas carols. It’s a way to celebrate, said Pescod.
Ronald McDonald House was made possible by a donation of $800,000 from the Yuill Family Foundation to cover construction costs.
Medicine Hat’s Ronald McDonald House is the fourth to be built in Alberta after Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer.
