New space one of many recent refurbishments improving patient experience at Southlake.
Southlake Health is creating an elevated outdoor patio space for patients receiving inpatient mental health care at the Davis Drive site, offering a safe and healing outdoor environment specially-designed to support adult patient’s well-being.
Located on the third floor of Southlake’s West Building, the new 2,900 sq. ft. seasonal patio will include a variety of seating areas for reflection and connection, as well as planters filled with seasonal plants and flowers to bring natural elements to the space. The space offers a primarily southern exposure, providing natural light and open views through glass partitions that maintain safety precautions.
“Access to outdoor space is an important part of a healing experience,” said Mahdi Memarpour MD, Chief of Psychiatry and Nathan Robinson, Director for Capital Development at Southlake. “This new patio will give our patients the opportunity to step outside in a safe and therapeutic setting, supporting their recovery and overall mental wellness.”
Construction coordination is already underway, with on-site work beginning this month thanks to the communities’ generosity. Donors to Southlake Health Foundation’s Better.Begins.Today. Mental Health Campaign thoughtfully invested over $7.5 million to support a variety of expansions and upgrades to transform Southlake’s Mental Health Program, including the addition of this patio space.
“We are deeply grateful to our donors and community for helping make this vision a reality,” said Jennifer Ritter, President and CEO, Southlake Health Foundation. “Their generosity ensures that patients in our Mental Health Program have access to the same kind of healing spaces that benefit so many others across the hospital.”
The new space reflects Southlake’s ongoing commitment to advancing mental health care and creating supportive environments that optimize patient and visitor experiences, including:
- an expanded Emergency Department that opened in January 2025, creating an additional 2,400 sq. ft. of space to meet the communities’ growing needs,
- a new artificial intelligence (AI) enabled MRI introduced in May 2025 to transform diagnostic imaging capacity,
- a new Starbucks, Tim Hortons, retail and patient food services opened over the past two years as part of a complete culinary transformation project, and much more.
This work is reflective of Southlake’s evolving capital redevelopment plan, which will maintain acute care capacity at the Davis Drive site. While contractual approvals are ongoing to secure land on which to build a second acute care hospital; refurbishments to the Davis Drive site will continue as Southlake works to transform into a Distributed Health Network over the next 10 years.
