Record-breaking $5.65 Million raised for Peel Memorial and youth mental health at Tour de Bleu cycling event

Dozens of cyclists have helped raise more than $5 million to help support the transformation of the Peel Memorial Centre into Brampton’s second hospital.

The annual Tour de Bleu fundraiser hit the road on Saturday (Sept. 9) with 46 cyclists riding some 200 km for a fundraiser in support of the William Osler Health System and the Peel Memorial upgrade project.

The charity event has raised nearly $40 million since 2005 and was spurred by Mattamy Homes founder and avid cyclist Peter Gilgan, with Osler saying riders helped eclipse the previous record by raising some $5.65 million in 2023.

“We’re thrilled that our support will contribute to the world-class care provided by Osler and help ensure that youth in the community and beyond receive timely access to specialized care,” Gilgan said in a statement.

The new Peel Memorial will include the region’s first Adolescent Intensive Day (AID) Program for youth struggling with self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

With impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic taking their toll on youth mental health, Ken Mayhew, president and CEO of the Osler Foundation, said the AID program and added mental health supports will have “a tangible difference for youth in our region.”

“Social isolation, school closures and pandemic-related family stress amplified what was already a growing problem — youth struggling with their mental health and a profound need for greater access to care,” Mayhew said.

The billion-dollar overhaul also includes plans for some 250 inpatient beds with space for more in the future, rehabilitation and continuing care services, enhanced mental health and addictions services, and additional services for seniors.

Residents can see a preview of the new Peel Memorial design, which includes plans for outdoor public plazas along Lynch St., multiple outdoor terraces on all floors, larger amenity areas and a rooftop garden that will be accessible to the public.

The 12-storey tall building will have its main entrance on the east side of the Lynch Street Extension with a passenger drop-off area and additional entrances on the north and south sides.

Osler announced a planning and design team last year, selecting global firm HOK Architects Corporation for its planning, design and conformance team.

The city’s portion of the Peel Memorial project and a new cancer centre coming to Brampton Civic Hospital will cost some $125 million, with Brampton already covering half the bill by transferring $62.5 million from capital reserves.