Ron and Cari MacLean fund upgrades at Red Deer children’s rehabilitation centre
Red Deer Children Rehabilitation Services, located in the 49 Street Community Health Centre, has received a Smilezone facelift, transforming a traditional medical setting into a bright and friendly space for healing.
The new features were revealed and celebrated on Aug. 21 at the facility, with staff, donors, Smilezone representatives, and users of the space in attendance. The upgrades were completed in June.
Smilezone is an Ontario-based charity that transforms cold medical settings like waiting rooms, treatment and exam rooms, and recently ambulances into warmer child-oriented spaces with custom murals, sensory play items, and ‘gameified’ features. A design team works with staff to decide what’s important and what will improve conditions for users. The work is pre-planned and done in one weekend.
“What we were able to do is change the environment that has historically been a relatively blank space. We found that by adding vibrant colours, custom murals,and the gameification of technology, we can write a much more enjoyable experience when children attend for treatment,” said Scott Bachly, Smilezone co-founder and co-chair. “We take pride in knowing that each zone is customized, accessible, and designed for children in each centre.”