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More upgrades would follow to meet the two other hospitals back in 2000 in the process of expanding its 50-year-old Wing
needs of Cambridge, including a major ‘One Voice, One Vision’ campaign, local B. “We are more than a hospital,” said
upgrade to its birthing unit in 1994. healthcare has never been ‘healthier’. Gaskin, referring to the transition CMH
But it hasn’t been an easy road and in the “A strong community requires great continues to undergo. “We’re really part of
late 1990s and early 2000s CMH was mired infrastructure, great education, great the fabric of the community in many ways.”
down in political wrangling and operational healthcare and great businesses,” said That will become even more apparent as
turmoil, to the point where the Ministry of Cambridge Memorial Hospital CEO Patrick CMH continues to move forward with its
Health and Long-Term Care appointed a Gaskin, who took on the role in 2009, in a new five-year strategic plan. Approved
supervisor to oversee its operations. recent interview with the Chamber. “They last year, the plan identifies five strategic
However, through it all the community’s all need to be ‘firing’ and working together. ‘pillars’, among them finance, community
support of CMH never wavered and It’s symbiotic that we rely on each other in health and partnerships, as well as
thanks to many successful fundraising order to create an amazing community.” advance care equity.
campaigns organized by the Cambridge The opening of the long-awaited
Memorial Hospital Foundation, including 250,000-square-foot Wing A patient
its $10 million ‘WeCareCMH’ initiative and care tower in January 2020 was a major
its partnership with Waterloo Region’s milestone for CMH, which is now in the
CMH Timeline

1973 1988 2014 2021

The South Waterloo Memorial Hospital, CMH comes into conflict with In September Ontario’s former The CMH Foundation
named in memory of the armed forces the Ontario Ministry of Health Minister of Health and Long successfully completes its $10
that fell in the Second World War, changes regarding continuing deficits. Term Care Dr. Eric Hoskins is million WeCareCMH campaign
its name to Cambridge Memorial Hospital Cambridge residents rally their on hand with various officials in January.
(CMH) following the amalgamation. support for CMH. to break ground on CMH’s long
awaited new 250,000 square
foot patient tower.

THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE ARCHIVES PHOTO
CMH PHOTO

Chamber has been here for the community...

The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce has played an active role in fostering prosperity in
this community by supporting local business. The Chamber has also played an active role
in many events and initiatives in the past 50 years. To name just a few:

Toyota Grand River Flood 1974
Looking for a way to Professional Theatre
promote the ongoing Chamber President, the late Don Faichney, What began as a tourism committee meeting in the
success of the Toyota jumped into action when warned by the GRCA early 2000s organized by the Chamber, sparked a
Motor Manufacturing about potential flooding downtown and began push to bring live professional theatre to downtown
Canada plant in calling businesses to warn them about the Cambridge resulting in the end of the opening of
Cambridge, the Chamber impending disaster. the Hamilton Family Theatre (formerly known as the
formed a partnership Dunfield Theatre) in the spring of 2013 with Drayton
with the automotive Entertainment’s production of Mary Poppins.
giant in creating public Business & Tourism
Plant Tours which began
in the fall of 2003. The In 1998, plans were unveiled for a new facility Education
tours, which operate out to be called the Cambridge Visitor and Business
of the TMMC Experience Gateway on Hespeler Road at Highway 401. The Chamber was instrumental when a plan surfaced to bring the University of Waterloo
Centre, are being offered In June of 2001, the new $1.2 million Gateway School of Architecture to downtown Cambridge by bringing together a team of business
once again after being Centre officially opened to provide space for leaders – known as the ‘Cambridge Consortium’ – to make it happen. The school opened
sidetracked by the the Chamber and Cambridge Tourism. in the fall of 2004.
pandemic.

www.cambridgechamber.com Summer 2023 23