History

The 1950s

During the mid 1950′s, Mary Dawdy, the mother of a son with an intellectual disability, held the dream of assiting all children with related disabilities.  In early 1954, Dawdy and Miss Ila Carroll organized a parent meeting to establish a school program to address the needs of children with both mental and physical disabilities in Wallaceburg. On October 12, 1954, the first home of the Mary Jane School for Retarded Children opened its doors on Elizabeth Street.  The school was named for its founder and first president, Mary Dawdy, and its first pupil, Jane Chortos, who was also visually impaired. Miss Carroll, who herself was physically challenged, became the school’s first teacher.

Although the original group came together to address educational goals, members became concerned about the welfare of children living in institutions, along with the training and employment needs of their sons and daughters upon graduation. Ony January 14, 1956, the Wallaceburg and Sydenham District Association for Retarded Children was incorporated. Joining some 43 other affiliated associations with over 3000 members, the mandate of the group grew included a Vision for people of “self sufficiency and self support, training and education at home, in institutions and with public and private agencies.”

The 1960s

This was a time when several Wallaceburg children, some 12 years of age and younger, went off to live and to be schooled at Cedar Springs, a newly built provincial facility near Blenheim. By 1965, the province passed the School Board Authority Act, which transferred properties and educational responsibilities to the government, but the Association retained the right to monitor school programs. In October 1968, the Association opened a new location for the Mary Jane School on Water Street.

The need for improved and reliable community services was heightened throughout the 1960′s,  and a national coordinating group, the Canadian Association for the Mentally Retarded was underway. During the 1960′s, it launched National Crusade, a series of 14 pilot projects across Canada aimed at encouraging technical and professional expertise and new types of services.

In 1960, there were workshops in only four Ontario centers: London, Toronto, Barrie and Oshawa. By the end of the decade, there were 84. In 1966, the Wallaceburg Association opened its first adult training center. Referred to as ARC Industries, its founders and first staff, Carmen Poole and Elizabeth Brunt, provided work instruction to five adults. Through their efforts, businesses were canvassed for work.

Funds to run activities of fledgling programs in Wallaceburg and throughout Ontario were difficult to obtain. The province was slow to respond to requests from organizations and families that their children, who were remaining in the community, be supported as those who went off to institutions. Locally, the group became very involved in fundraising activities and, in 1969 in Wallaceburg, after three years of fundraising, $30,000 was collected and used to purchase the Association’s first workshop.

The 1970s

Two incidents of real significance galvanized attention once again to the issue of community life for persons with disabilities. The government of Ontario commissioned what became known as the Williston Report, following the death of two individuals who had been recently discharged from Rideau Regional Hospital School, near Smith Falls. Then Minister of Social Development Policy, Robert Welch, using the report to set a new direction for Ontario, was the first person to coin the phrase that now distinguishes our movement: Community Living.

Although the province passed legislation giving way to the development of group homes a few years prior, it was not until well into the 1970′s that the idea and the resources to proceed were captured. Between 1972 and 1975, it was foreseen in Wallaceburg that a need would result for a residential program. The directors and members set out to fundraise and their efforts culminated with the purchase of property north of Running Creek, opposite Crothers Park.

During 1979, the Association’s first home was purchased and developed on Duncan Street. Eight people were given the opportunity to establish a new home for themselves. Some were individuals who had returned from Cedar Springs.

The decade of the 1970′s saw perhaps the most significant and extensive community developments to date. The Ontario Association for the Mentally Retarded (OAMR), as it had become known, was extremely influential on government policy and assisted to establish many of the social welfare programs and thinking that exists today. Government became committed to moving people from institutions to community, to establishing college programs to train and graduate qualified staff, and to introducing a licensed day care system and infant stimulation programs for children with disabilities.

The 1980s

An entrepreneurial approach to service was in vogue, and the Wallaceburg Association capitalized by obtaining provincial funds to open a retail outlet, The Wedding Belle Boutique. As an adjunct to the ARC workshop, this store employed several people expecting to train them at minimum to participate in commercial activities and, ideally, to assist them to move to better, fuller paying jobs. The store became very popular and generated much needed revenues that were used to sustain various programs and activities.

Within the field of education, major changes took place. In 1980, the Ministry of Education introduced Bill 82, in part due to the pressure brought on by OAMR for improved educational opportunities for children with special needs. By the end of 1980, Ontario’s inaugural chapter of People First was established by former residents of Oxford Regional Center. The proponents of this self advocacy group were invited to Wallaceburg on several occasions, but a chapter was never formed. In 1989, one of the original People First organizers, Peter Park, provided a moving keynote address to the Wallaceburg Association’s membership that helped them almost unanimously change the name of the association to Community Living.

The Association had to come to grips with a 1985 Ministry of Labour ruling that effectively shutdown the ARC Industries plant “…to prevent what could have been a major disaster resulting from building deficiencies.” Through the effective lobby efforts from the Board of Directors, support from the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the citizens of Wallaceburg, a new facility was leased and later purchased at 939 Dufferin Avenue.

By the mid 1980′s, support to have OAMR change its name was taking hold. In 1984, the Canadian AMR became the Canadian Association for Community Living, and throughout the country both provincial and local associations were making or considering name changes. In 1987, at its annual conference held in Ottawa, OAMR finally changed too. It was in 1989 when the Wallaceburg Association became the first tri county area association to accept a name change. There is, of course, more to it than just a name.

In 1987, Ontario’s Community and Social Services Minister, John Sweeney, made the decade’s most profound announcements and set a new policy direction entitled, Challenges and Opportunities. The OACL’s influence on the government’s plans was evident. The planned phase-out of institutions in Ontario was to occur by the year 2011, and communities were to establish comprehensive support systems so that people could receive services in their home communities, in their own homes.

By the close of the 1980′s, the Wallaceburg Association had established itself as a leader, innovator and developer of quality supports to individuals and their families. In 1989, the Association committed itself to a set of principles that would dictate how it would approach the next decade of service. A significant shift and renewed emphasis on the individual was made. Board members, staff and individuals supported participated in various exercises leading to the development of the Eight Planning Principles. These statements committed the association to plan with individuals and their families, provide them with options and choices, to use existing community services, and to assist each individual to make a contribution to their community that provided them with personal fulfillment.

The 1990s

With a direction set by the Association’s Planning Principles, and the adoption of the OACL’s Vision and Belief Statements, the organization was poised to make Community Living become not only a reality for more persons with a disability, but also for the community at large.

Riding a wave generated by the Ministry’s Multi Year Plan (1987), the Association responded by assisting several people to take up new lives and return to their original or chosen community of Wallaceburg. In fact by 1992, 11 persons who formerly received only institutional-based services were now living in Wallaceburg. Acting too on its commitment to listen, three people were helped to move from the group home to establish their own residences.

Persons attending the Association’s day programs were gaining a better sense of themselves and, coupled with the Association’s desire to listen and not direct, new roads were charted. The Wedding Belle Boutique, while financially stable, was no longer deemed viable as a “training to work” site and fewer persons were expressing interest in attending. The Directors wrestled with this reality and came to the decision to close the store. The resources were realigned to enable more persons to receive training and support at a wider range of work sites in the community. Several persons moved on to gainful employment in the community, while others were assisted to establish small businesses of their own.

ARC Industries was renamed to suit the revised focus; it became known as Community Skills Development (CSD). Much more emphasis was placed on the development of practical life and community skills, and people were supported to participate more fully in regular community activities including adult education and recreational programs.

In just seven years, from 1987 through to 1994, the Association had grown from supporting some 65 people to over 200 individuals and their families. Program budgets through that same period went from approximately $500,000 per year to just short of $2,000,000 by the close of 1994. A tremendous effort was made by staff, volunteers, individuals and families. The transition was only made because of the tremendous cooperation within the organization, and perhaps more importantly, from the community at large.

With the advent of a new division within the Association, Individual and Family Directed Supports, staff efforts were coordinated around a much focused, individual, person-centered planning process. The model, designed to assist individuals to declare their preferences, choices, and wishes was dubbed, “Personal Support Planning.”

In many ways, by the mid 1990′s, we had come full circle. We had arrived back at a point where the grassroots of the movement had begun some 40 years before. Community was engaged, families were reengaged and new ways of supporting persons were being sought, often without new resources. Things were getting done.

About the Logo

In the early years, the first logos emphasized a caring and paternalistic approach, as depicted in the heart and silhouette images. The ARC logo was developed and used by many associations to promote the value of creating employment opportunities and sheltered work environments.

To project its new and fresh direction, the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) commissioned a new logo depicting the arrow-shaped symbol, in order for all associations across Canada to present a visually consistent image. The logo, or sunburst, is an abstract design; its shape and flow are intended to convey a sense of vibrancy, movement and progression, in the same way the organization and its people strive for progress toward community living for all. Community Living Wallaceburg took creative licence with it in 1996, as part of its 40 year anniversary.

Into the New Millennium

The agency developed the stylish expression ‘get into community! living’ as a way to establish a stronger presence in the community and to present a fun, fresh and welcoming image. The logo incorporates the original sunburst; it speaks to every person’s desire to be part of a community, and encourages all citizens to become a part of our movement.

The ‘Best Brand’ logo was created to feature Community Living Wallaceburg’s commitment to quality product and social marketing since 1989.

Inspired by our roots in the advocacy movement, and with a flair for fun and colour, the Peace, Love, Inclusion logo was developed and applied widely with great interest and enthusiasm.