Backgrounder: UVic announces future plans for Dunsmuir Lodge

Dunsmuir Lodge
•    Property consists of 100 acres (40.5 hectares) and includes 45 guest rooms and numerous meeting and conference spaces.
•    Built in 1974 as a treatment centre for people with alcohol and drug addictions, formerly called Gillain Manor, located off McTavish Road, North Saanich, on the slope of Mount Newton.
•    Known as LÁU,WELNEW (place of refuge) to local First Nations people.
•    Donated by the late George Poole of George Poole Construction Ltd. to UVic in 1985 for use as an educational conference centre. Terms of the gift agreement include an option to sell the property if it did not meet the university’s best financial interests.
•    Commenced operations as a renovated executive training and conference centre in 1987 and used by Continuing Studies to operate lectures, study groups and dinners.
•    Closed by UVic in March 2009, as estimated $2 million in modernization upgrading was required and revenue did not cover costs. Continuing Studies courses on the Saanich Peninsula are now delivered in Sidney.
•    In seeking a financial return to the university, UVic is remaining true to the intent behind the original donation by George Poole to support the educational mission of UVic.

Homewood Health
•    Homewood Health is a leader in mental health and addiction services in Canada.
•    Homewood has over 133 years of experience helping Canadians at the Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, Ont., one of Canada’s largest and leading facilities for medical treatment of mental health and addiction disorders.
•    Homewood achieves outstanding outcomes every day through its national network of over 4,500 employees and clinical experts and provides its services to over 100,000 Canadians each year.
•    Homewood operates over 40 business and counseling offices across Canada, residential treatment facilities in Guelph, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec as well as The Homewood Clinic outpatient locations in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal.
•    Homewood provides a complete suite of services including organizational wellness, employee and family assistance programs, assessments, outpatient and inpatient treatment, recovery management, return to work and family support services customized to meet the needs of individuals and organizations.
•    Homewood Health is the primary practice partner of the Homewood Research Institute (HRI), a not-for-profit organization with the mission to improve the outcomes of mental health and addictions treatments by partnering in research that enhances practice. HRI facilitates the development of networks that enable top researchers to collaborate with patients, clients, worksites, clinicians, and donors in work that advances both science and practice to improve outcomes.
•    More information: http://www.homewoodhealth.com