The Municipality of Thames Centre is very excited to announce that a design-build agreement has been finalized with MCI Design Build Corporation for the expansion of the FlightExec Centre (2066 Dorchester Road, Dorchester).
This project will include the following facility improvements:
Senior Centre – increasing from one to three multi-purpose rooms with a new kitchen which will be shared with the adjoining auditorium. Expanding to three multi-purpose rooms will allow the Senior Centre to offer more programs and activities for the community. Having larger rooms will allow more seniors to participate in the many popular events offered throughout the year.
VON Middlesex-Elgin – increasing the space rented by VON which will allow them to relocate the therapeutic tub and offer community bathing and expand the Adult Day Program space to allow more clients to attend per day. In addition, the expansion will provide new rooms to offer overnight respite.
Auditorium – the auditorium will be increased in size and moved to a new location within the expanded facility. It will have access to a new kitchen which will be shared with the Senior Centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Construction Schedule
MCI intends to begin construction by early August with a projected completion date of May 2024.
Parking and Vehicle Access
Construction perimeter fencing will be erected in July or August and will likely result in NO ACCESS around the north-east side of the building for approximately 6 months. Refer to the drawing below to see where driving and parking will be blocked by the construction site along with the proposed driving route (subject to change).
Senior Centre Programs During Construction
The current Senior Centre will be demolished in order to provide a more open floor plan with the new layout. As a result, all services and programs offered by the Senior Centre will be moved to alternative locations, including other rooms within the FlightExec Centre, the Dorchester Library, the Thorndale Lions Community Centre, and potentially at the Dorchester Fairgrounds. There will be no access to the existing Senior Centre nor any programs offered from this existing space once construction begins.
During construction, The Senior Centre Coordinator and Assistant’s offices will be relocated to the south side of the FlightExec Centre, in the same administrative/office area currently occupied by the Community Services & Facilities administration and management staff. Office hours will continue to be weekdays from 8:30am-4:30pm. The Senior Centre staff will still be able to be reached at their regular phone numbers and email addresses.
VON Programs During Construction
During construction, VON programs will continue to be offered. VON Staff office space and Adult Day Program will relocate to space upstairs in the FlightExec Centre and be accessible by the stairs and elevator on the north side of the building (entering via the automatic doors labelled “Auditorium & North Rink – CANUSA.” Office hours will remain the same, Monday to Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm. Adult Day Program will continue to run Monday to Friday from 9:00am-3:00pm. The Staff will still be able to be reached at their regular phone numbers and email addresses.
Donations & Sponsorship Opportunities
The FlightExec Centre Expansion Committee’s Fundraising Sub-Committee is looking for people with fundraising experience to assist in this area. If interested, please call or email the primary contact for this sub-committee, Mike Murray, at mike@murraysellshomes.ca or call/text him at 519-933-0253. Deadline to apply for this sub-committee is May 19, 2023.
If you’d like to donate to this exciting project, donations can be mailed or dropped off to the Municipality of Thames Centre, 4305 Hamilton Road, Dorchester, Ontario, N0L 1G3. Official donation receipts for income tax purposes will be issued for qualifying donations of $10 or more. If donating by cheque, please write “Expansion Project” on the me
