The Need
Our old facility was small, lacked amenities, and beyond repair. We were forced to move to a temporary location in 2021 while we construct our new, permanent facility.
As birds are declining in staggering numbers, each bird's life saved can help the survival of its species. Therefore, the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre's work is now more important than ever. Caring for tens of thousands of birds over the past 40 years, our goal is to ensure there is a wild bird advanced care facility in the Ottawa Valley Region that will provide life-saving treatment for orphaned, injured and ill wild birds, for future generations.
The Vision
The construction of a new facility on 17+ acres of land will provide a state-of-the art, advanced care wild bird emergency facility and will include:
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A quiet, energy efficient building
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A modern medical suite including an x-ray unit and isolation spaces
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Free-flight areas, both indoors and out, enriched to simulate a more natural environment
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An interactive education/visitor area where the public can learn more about birds, their habitats, and environmental stewardship
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The ability to adapt to changing needs
How You Can Help
Wishing to avoid financing costs, and without any financial assistance from any level of government, we urgently need your help in achieving our fundraising goals for each phase of construction. Unavoidable delays and tariffs have severely impacted our total costs and timeline to completion but the birds cannot afford to wait any longer. They need help now.
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Please consider donating to our building fund today.
Donor Recognition
With permission, and subject to the Centre's Gift Policy, all donors giving $500 or more may be recognized on a permanent digital display in the new building. All donors giving $100 or more will be acknowledged on the Centre’s website only. Named spaces will have additional recognition.
Special Naming Opportunities
We invite you to become an important part of the new Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre and our continuing mission of saving birds' lives by lending your name, your family's name or your business to an interior space or outdoor aviary.
For the most recent information about naming opportunities currently available, contact:
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Juliette Marczuk, Board Chair
Funds Raised to Date
Total Raised: $2,396,974
$5.5M+
Funds for Next Phase (2) - Summer 2025
Total raised for Phase 2: $668,299
$1.2M
As of March 31, 2025
Funds Raised & Phased Construction
The project is being completed in phases as funding allows. The pre-construction and first phase of the project have been completed.
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Phase 2
We are currently working towards achieving our funding goal for Phase 2 which we need to complete by mid-fall, to avoid costly winter construction costs.
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Phase 3 - 7
To reach the point of occupancy for the main part of the building, we need to raise enough funds to complete Phase 4 which is tentatively scheduled for completion by the summer/fall of 2026. Phases 4 - 7 will include the aviaries and the remaining site work, scheduled for late 2026/spring 2027.
Build Progress
2024 - Construction has started!
Site Supervisor, Dale and our Chair, Juliette standing "in" the building at footing level (Dec. 12, 2024), forms being laid and center supports marked (pink).
December 19, 2024: the first concrete truck arrives!
April 6, 2025: Foundations & partial backfill.
Bringing our Dream to Life...
We wish to extend a very special thank you to our architect and fellow bird-lover, Dr. Ammar Aldujaili, OAA, OAQ, Ph.D. Arch., for his dedication and commitment to this project. He has gone above and beyond to make this project come to life.
We wish to also extend a very special thank you to our civil engineer and also fellow bird-lover, Dr. Husham Almansour Ph.D., P. Eng, for his dedication and commitment to this project, and persevering with us through a very challenging site plan process.
We are excited to be working with Graebeck Construction whose many years of professional experience in the construction industry and work on complex projects such as ours will turn our dream into reality.
Groundbreaking Event
On June 1, 2024 we celebrated our ceremonial groundbreaking event that marks the start of a new chapter in the Centre's history. Speakers included:
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Karen McCrimmon, MPP Kanata-Carleton
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Councillor Glen Gower, Ward 6 (Stittsville)
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Juliette Marczuk, Chair of the Board, Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre
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Dr. Robin Roscoe, Veterinarian & Certified Avian Specialist
Although Kathy Nihei’s plans for the Centre were modest, declining bird populations are now demanding more action from us to stop this alarming trend. Especially for those species that are threatened or endangered of becoming extinct, each precious life saved can have a real impact on the survival of its species. We can help birds now and in the future. The new facility will provide an exceptional level of care, and a stable future for the Centre.
Due to increased pricing of construction, another $2M will need to be raised by December of 2024 to avoid construction-related delays.
With the Building Permit now in hand, the foundation and rough grading is being started in late 2024!