Photo: South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation

The Penticton Regional Hospital will have spending room to enhance a new pediatrics waiting and play area, thanks to a sizeable donation.

The Summerland Healthcare Auxiliary has donated $50,000 to PRH, the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation announced on Wednesday.

Those funds will contribute to a new "play" area that will be located on the ground floor of the new tower, next to the outpatient pediatric treatment area, and will feature a mural, play stations and suitable furniture.

“It’s somewhere that’s both comfy for moms and dads and fun for kids who may be in for an appointment," Berit Hack said, the Auxiliary's treasurer.

Funding for the Auxiliary's donation was generated from its thrift store on Victoria Road in Summerland.

The donation is separate from a five-year, $1 million pledge that the Auxiliary made in 2015 for the medical equipment campaign at PRH. They have provided $600,000 of that funding to date.

The new $312 million tower at PRH is expected to be complete in April 2019.