While Ventura County Public Works Agency’s Engineering Services (VCPWA-ES) may not be familiar to the general public, their work managing capital construction, land development, and county surveying all contribute to many important community additions. Along with building the Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) Hospital Wing, their latest projects include working with the Health Care Foundation of Ventura County to build a Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at VCMC, a S.T.E.A.M. Innovation Lab for the Fillmore Library, and the Todd Road Jail Health and Programming Unit as well as numerous other County facilities.
The Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at VCMC will provide support for families of pediatric patients to have a family dinner, do homework with their other children, and catch up on work while remaining close to their loved one. Construction began in July and this project will be the largest family room in the Ronald McDonald system, consisting of a kitchenette, large dining table, washer and dryer, play area, tv area, and workspace. In addition, there will be a Respite Room for people to relax in quiet and restful area.
“The new Ronald McDonald Family Rooms will be an incredible addition for VCMC and our patients,” said Dr. John Fankhauser, CEO at VCMC. “We greatly appreciate the work VCPWA-ES is doing to build this room and give families the space they need to relax and recharge.”
VCPWA-ES will also begin work in Winter 2020/21 to help build a new, versatile S.T.E.A.M. Innovation Lab and classroom for the Fillmore Library and their patrons. The project will nearly double the square footage of the existing library, providing added gathering space and bringing additional child and adult learning activities to the community.
“We are thrilled to be extending our support,” said Shawna Schlageter, Project Manager with VCPWA-ES. “This project will be used as a prototype for future library expansions and bring hands on learning to the community.”
Additionally, VCPWA-ES has a number of projects in the latter stages of design including a remodel of VCMC’s Fainer 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, a new VCMC Pediatric Unit, Thousand Oaks Fire Station, and Santa Paula Fire Station.
