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Turner Construction has gone to the dogs. Or at least their coaches.
The Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, which provides service dogs to people with disabilities, tapped New York City-based Turner to build its C$60 million ($43.8 million) fund. training center in Oakville, Ontarioaccording to a press release.
The 89,000-square-foot complex will feature classrooms and training rooms, 35 guest rooms to accommodate its client base, and indoor and outdoor spaces.
The Lions Foundation trains its guide dogs in seven different programs: canine vision, hearing, service, seizure response, autism assistance, diabetes alert and facilities support, according to the release. After puppies are born, they are raised for 12 to 16 months before starting guide dog training.
“This facility will improve so many lives,” Stuart Smith, Turner’s vice president and general manager, said in the statement. “We are building a world-class facility that will directly benefit hundreds of Canadians with special lives each year.”
Smith added that the 35 guest rooms will serve as a hotel component for families to learn to work with their guide dogs at the center.
Turner
Courtesy of Turner Construction
Beyond building the structure, the site team decided to take it a step further and foster a puppy, which they named, obviously, Turner. Crew members take turns caring for her, making sure she gets plenty of socialization and basic obedience training, according to the release.
These aspects are crucial for their role as future guide dogs, as well as for desensitizing them to potential distractions such as loud noises and frantic activity. The team hopes to expose Turner to the sights, sounds and experiences of a construction site to help her become a well-rounded and confident guide dog.
Construction of the project is scheduled to end in 2026.
