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Fourteen months after a devastating flash flood forced the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre to close its doors, it has reopened.
The Walkley Road facility, used by midwives and their clients from across the city, was almost instantly back in use, executive director Jolanta Scott-Parker said.
The centre reopened at 8 a.m. on Oct. 23, she said, and the first client was in the door moments later. By 10 a.m. the first baby in the rebuilt Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre had been born.
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“That was a pretty exciting moment,” Scott-Parker said.
The building had to be gutted and rebuilt after the climate-related flood that forced it to close on Aug. 10, 2023, Scott-Parker said. The damage was more extensive than originally thought and required complete rebuilding of the centre, including new equipment, content and furniture.
“It is like we are starting a new birth centre except that we already understand the processes and so are able to just relaunch and welcome the clients back,” Scott-Parker said.
Since the centre opened a decade ago, 2,250 babies have been born there — around 240 most years. The centre has been embraced by midwives from across the city, dozens of whom are able to use the centre if their clients choose to do so. Their clients can chose to give birth at the centre, at a hospital where the midwife has privileges or at home. Some clients begin at the birth centre, but are transferred to hospital for a variety of reasons.
The centre has three birthing suites, including birthing tubs, which are widely used, Scott-Parker said. It aims to have a home-like environment.
It is one of three such birthing centres in Ontario; the others are in Toronto and on the Six Nations reserve near Brantford. The centres are funded by the Ministry of Health. Midwives are funded separately.
Scott-Parker said staff, midwives and clients were happy to have the Ottawa centre back in operation.
“We are very pleased to be able to be back offering these services in the community. I know it was hard for folks when we were closed. We are really happy to be back in business,” she said.
Information about the centre is available online at ottawabirthcentre.ca/
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