In 1911, the architect, James Govan, working with a team of advisory psychiatrists, physicians and government officials, presented his design for the
Whitby Hospital. Govan worked to ensure the design would be unlike that of past hospitals (dark and damp, with barred windows). The design called for sixteen cottages where patients would live while receiving treatment. In addition, each cottage was constructed in such a manner as to allow natural sunlight through the windows. Each cottage held around 60 patients. The cottages' location ensured that staff buildings and therapy facilities were within a short walking distance. One aspect of the new mental health facility was the physical site, situated east of Toronto. Purchased by the Provincial Government early in 1912, the grounds originally consisted of of treed farmland that sloped gently to Lake Ontario. The hospital offered patients fresh air, sunshine, space to walk and an opportunity to heal. In 1914, war broke out, and while construction on the hospital continued, progress slowed. Over the next two years, however, as more and more buildings were completed, doctors transferred psychiatric patients from Toronto facilities. By February 1917, large numbers of soldiers were returning from overseas. Many were badly wounded and needed intense, long-term treatment. Since general hospitals were not equipped to meet such needs, the Military Hospitals Commission made arrangements to lease patient cottages for the purpose of treating wounded soldiers. On October 23, 1994, the hospital celebrated 75 years of service to patients, their families and the communities with a rapidly growing primary service area of over 2.2 million people. The public joined in the celebrations held on the hospital grounds. The theme of the event was "A Proud Past, A Progressive Future." On this occasion the facility was renamed Whitby Mental Health Centre. In 1996, a new, state-of-the-art, $90 million Whitby Mental Health Centre became the first public psychiatric hospital to be built in North America in 25 years. The facility was designed with eight interconnected buildings, separated by accessible landscaped courtyards and linked by a 1,400 foot interior corridor. The use of skylights, windows and glass is extensive, to let in light. Upon completion, the structure's roof was the largest zinc installation anywhere in the world and is not expected to require maintenance for the next 100 years. Eleven large artwork commissions are displayed throughout the facility with the aim to provide beauty and assist with orientation. In 1997, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care recommended the hospital and eight other provincial psychiatric hospitals divest and operate under the Public Hospital Act. In these recommendations, the hospital was slated to become a stand-alone corporation and the other eight hospitals were divested to existing hospital corporations. On June 10, 2009, the hospital rebranded to better reflect its goals and vision. The new name is Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores). The Communications and Public Affairs team at Ontario Shores won a Gold Quill Award of Merit in the category of Brand Communication from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for the organization's rebranding project, A New Brand for a New Era. ==Programs and services==