Community Living Brant

                                                                History

In November of 1952, a small group of concerned and committed parents formed "The Brantford and District Association for Retarded Children".  By December of that year, five children with a developmental challenge were given an opportunity to attend a school program in the basement of Immanuel Baptist Church.

It was ten long years before the Association could raise $50,000 and secure $40,000 from government grants to build Jane Laycock School on Mt. Pleasant Street.  With Jane Laycock School now providing educational services, the Association began to seek out the ways and means to provide services for all ages. To this end, in the fall of 1964, the Association changed its name to, thereby setting as its mandate "the provision and development of services for all individuals with a developmental challenge". 

In March of 1962, "The Brant County Foundation for the Mentally Retarded" was established. This Foundation was formed as a trustee of monies collected from various sources, including donations and bequests. The Foundation manages and utilizes these funds for the benefit of individuals being served or supported by the Association. The primary focus of the Foundation has been the provision of group homes which are administered by the Association on behalf of the individuals being served.

The Association now restated its objectives to "provide community-based services for the mentally retarded of Brant County, to provide educational programs which will help the community to understand the problem of mental retardation, to help prevent mental retardation where possible, to assist in providing grants to professional personnel working in the field of mental retardation, and to help improve the condition of the mentally retarded in Canada".

During 1964, the first sheltered workshop for adults with a developmental challenge was opened in Brantford.   This workshop, located at 20 Colborne Street, offered program opportunities to approximately twenty people.  The activities centred round the making of crafts, some contract work for local industries, as well as the provision of basic educational training.

The next major program development was in 1964 with the Association providing a nursery school in the basement of Central Presbyterian Church.

As a result of a change with The School Administration Act in January of 1969, Jane Laycock School became the property and responsibility of the newly formed Brant County Board of Education.  In that same year, the Association acquired a building at 61 Wilkes Street and started what became known as the ARC Industries Program.  This sheltered workshop and rehabilitation centre were geared to provide more contract work and a greater emphasis on the development of vocational skills.

In the fall of 1971, the Association received a special "Government Winter-Works Grant" to build the Andrew Donaldson Developmental Centre on 3.5 acres of land that the Association had leased from the Board of Governors of the John Noble Home.  The Centre opened its doors on October 31st, 1972, providing a nursery school environment for children with a developmental challenge.

Also during 1972, construction began for a community residence to provide residential opportunities for adults with a developmental challenge.  The Samuel Stedman Community Residence opened its doors in June of 1973 to sixteen adults, some of whom were discharged from provincial institutions.  With life skills and community living training, some of the residents graduated to community apartments operated and supervised by Association staff.  The first of these apartments opened in December of 1973.

In June of 1973, additional space was required at ARC Industries, resulting in the Association leasing space at 83 Wilkes Street.  In 1974, the Association purchased that property.

By 1975, the apartment program had expanded to a point where there were twelve apartments for adults with a developmental challenge located throughout the city.  With financial support from the Stedman Foundation of Brantford, another adult residential program was opened in 1975.  This facility became the first Association group home in the city providing residential services for six individuals.

Other major accomplishments came with the start of a readiness training class in 1975, operated out of Our Lady of Fatima Separate School.  This class was to serve as a stepping stone for children leaving the Andrew Donaldson Developmental Centre.

In May of 1976, ARC Industries began to operate a gas bar on the corner of Colborne and Peel Streets.  The gas bar continued to expand its services over the years, and in June of 1988, it relocated to a location on Holiday Drive where the program continued until 1990 when the program ended.

In 1980, the Association received approval from the Ministry of Community and Social Services to proceed with developing residential programs for ten children with developmental challenges aged five to eighteen.  The first townhouse for four children opened in January 1981.  Two apartments, with three children admitted to each, opened in April of 1981. Between 1986 and 1990, the children were relocated from the apartments and townhouses to three single dwelling homes.

In 1982, the Ministry of Community and Social Services announced its Five Year Plan involving the closure of six institutions for adults with a developmental challenge throughout the Province of Ontario.  This Association took part in that plan by admitting ten individuals from institutional settings.  This required the opening of two new group homes one in October 1983 and one in April 1984. 

By 1987, the Ministry of Community and Social Services had developed a long-term plan designed to support and promote the goal of community living.  This strategy has allowed the Association to develop and implement expanded programs and services.

Between March of 1988 and September of 1990, expansion in our group home program resulted in the opening of five new homes for individuals with a developmental challenge.  These homes allowed the transfer of people from the Samuel Stedman Residence and the Oxford Regional Centre, as well as from a community waiting list, into these homes.

In the spring of 1989, the Dunn Building was officially opened. This building replaced the three smaller sites which formerly housed ARC Industries.  From this centre, the Association currently operates production facilities, Mortimer's Restaurant and Gift Shop, a catering service, and a placement service to integrate the individuals we serve into employment in the community.

In November of 1989, the Association changed its name to "The Brantford and District Association for Community Living".  This name is in keeping with the national and provincial associations.  The Mission Statement was revised to:

"To assist people who are developmentally challenged to develop to their greatest potential and assist them to secure a purposeful life through education, employment, recreation, and community living".

With the relocation of residents from the Samuel Stedman Residence, the building became the Association's Head Office for administration and program staff in January, 1991.

The Supported Living Program, formerly the Apartment Program, has grown to where approximately 50 adults are supported in the community, and a number of others receive in-service support in preparation for entering the program.

1990 to 1991 saw the implementation of two new programs, which addressed the needs of two specific groups which until then had been isolated in the community.  The Seniors' Program was an 18-month grant through the Health Innovations Fund to help senior citizens with a developmental challenge gain access to community-based resources for recreation and companionship.  The program was ended when the grant expired.  The F.UN. Program was developed to encourage friendships between teens with a developmental challenge and their peers. This allows the individuals to participate in activities which make the teenage years so exciting. This program continues to operate through revenue from community-based fundraising.

In January of 1992, the Association embarked upon a strategic planning process to set the direction for the delivery of service for the future.  In consultation with the Board, Management, Staff, C.U.P.E., the individuals we serve, family and friends, other service providers, and the business community, the Association developed a series of Team Principles and a new Mission Statement.  Through the fall of 1992 and the spring of 1993, eleven planning goals/directional statements were established with a working committee assigned to each goal. 

The Association is incorporated as "Brantford and District", yet the "District" aspect had not yet been utilized. The Association agreed there was a need to extend our Residential Programs and the Town of Paris was selected as the site of the first group home out of Brantford.  Plans to locate property in Paris began in June, 1991, and after an extensive procedure with the Paris Town Council and Paris residents, approval from the Town of Paris was received in November, 1991.  Construction of this barrier-free group home was completed in April, 1993 and is located at 54 Broadway Street West in Paris.   

The home at 260 Park Avenue, the first established group home for the Association, was aging and was beginning to require much needed repairs.  Therefore, the Foundation agreed to the sale of this home.  In June 1993, the individuals at 260 Park Avenue were relocated to the 20 Hickory Group Home, and the residents at 20 Hickory were relocated to the newly-built group home at 1016 Colborne Street East in Brantford.  This move was undertaken to accommodate the "Hickoy/Colborne Split" project to be done in conjunction with the Multi-Year Planning and facility depopulation plan.  The 260 Park Avenue property sold in June of 1994. 

The Association now operates 12 group homes in the Residential Program.

On September 1, 1993, the Association's Head Office relocated from the Samuel Stedman Community Residence at 20 Bell Lane to brand new offices located at 330 West Street in Brantford. This move was undertaken in order to assist with the relocation of the Community Activity Program. It was found that the environment housing the C.A.P. Program at the Dunn Building was becoming insufficient due to the program's expansion and challenging needs of the individuals. The Ministry approved the altered use of S.S.C.R. for the C.A.P. Program.   Phase I of renovations began.

With the focus in recent years on integration, many new viable community supports were established for the Association's pre-school population. The result of this was a steady decline in enrollment at the Andrew Donaldson Developmental Centre.  Therefore, after 21 years of support to the community, on December 24, 1993, the A.D.D.C. closed its doors.  The Centre celebrated its historical success at an Open House on February 27, 1994. 

The Association was committed to ensuring that its expertise in supporting children and individuals with special needs would continue to be provided to the community following the closure of the A.D.D.C. The B.D.A.C.L. was involved with many committees of the Children and Youth Services Council, one of which was the Child Care Committee.  Representatives from B.D.A.C.L., as members of the Child Care Committee, were actively involved in the collaborative project of researching the need for a Professional Resource Centre for Brantford and the surrounding area.  This survey resulted in a proposal for the development of a Professional Resource Centre with B.D.A.C.L. being chosen as the sponsoring agency. This Centre's aim, in partnership with the existing child care community, is to provide educational toys and early childhood resources for children from birth to 12 years of age, as well as adult resources and services to assist educators, caregivers, and parents.  The P.R.C. officially opened in September 1994 and is located at 265 King George Road in Brantford.   

On June 17, 1994, the Community Activity Day Program relocated from the Dunn Building to the Samuel Stedman Building at 20 Bell Lane. The environment will be more conducive to the overall goals of the program and individual needs.  The building has gone through one phase of renovation,  and hopefully Phase 2 can be realized in the coming year.

Following the Foundation's approval to sell the property at 173 Chatham Street, a replacement property was purchased at 24 Riva Ridge in Brantford on February 3, 1995.  Four of the individuals residing at Chatham Street relocated to Riva Ridge in April, 1995, with the other two individuals being relocated to other Association services.

In March of 1995, the Association again pursued the expansion of the Residential Services Program to a rural setting.  It currently operated 11 Residential Group Homes in Brantford, and one Residential Group Home in the Town of Paris.  This rural home would be an on-site day program for three ladies returning from Oxford Regional Centre and one individual from an existing Residential Group Home.  A 50-acre rural setting was purchased in September, 1995, at R.R. #2, Burford. 

As well in March of 1995, the Board of Directors approved the establishment of an "Associate Family Program" through our Community Services Department.  This program is designed to enhance the range of options available in the community and to allow individual needs to be addressed in a more flexible and personal manner.  The Program is intended to provide a family setting for those individuals who require support and would prefer living with a family.  The Associate family becomes the primary support to the individual in day-to-day activities.  Community Services Staff provide supports to both the Associate family and the homesharer. 

On November 8, 1996, all the individuals moved out of 273-D and this group home was officially closed. The ladies relocated to the Associate Family Program, 1016 Colborne Street, 32 Cumberland, and the Burford group homes.

Also in November, 1996 a new venture was started to respond to the person-centered plan for an individual who resided at 1016 Colborne Street. His family purchased a home at 85 St. Paul Avenue in Brantford. The family’s son moved into this home with two individuals. Staff support was made possible through reallocation of staff resources from Colborne Street.

The Foundation purchased a home at 55 Beaver Crescent to replace a townhouse rental at 176-G Dunsdon Street in October 1997. Individuals enjoy the backyard overlooking the ball park and walks in the neighbourhood.

In 1997/98, four individuals were repatriated back to Brantford through the Ministry’s Multi-Year Plan from provincial institutions: one from Southwestern Regional Centre; two from Edgar and one from Children & Parents Resource Institute (CPRI). Planning continues for 3 more individuals to the end of 1998. There were four additional people on the list for Brant to the end of 1999.

In 1997, a small, but dedicated group of parents began to meet to discuss concerns mainly with the family benefits Act (FBA) Disability Pension, as it related to their sons/daughters who were developmentally challenged. They prepared a brief which was presented to the Standing Committee on Social Development in London, Ontario on October 22, 1997. They continued their dedication to this and other causes with further petitions to the government. This group became known as the “Parents Group”.

On December 23, 1997, economic conditions forced the closure of Mortimer’s Restaurant at the Dunn Building. Services to the individuals supported at the Dunn Building continued through the Employee Cafeteria. The space formerly utilized by Mortimer’s Restaurant was renovated and the room was made available for rentals as a conference meeting room.

In January 1998, four individuals moved into two apartments in a building on Sympatica Crescent. A third apartment for two individuals was opened in July, 1998. There is a staff on-site 24 hours a day with additional staff during “busier” times. Acquiring more apartment in the building was discussed.

In 1998, the Service Planning Committee felt that the barriers and issues the Association encountered around the City and County’s Zoning By-laws, as they related to group homes, were hampering the search for new group homes that had to meet our specified needs. The committee decided to focus on this and began to pursue changes with the City and the County.

In response to the Ministry’s “Making Services Work for People” policy framework, Contact Brant was established in 1999.  The mandate of Contact Brant, as set out by the Hamilton Niagara Regional Office, was to establish and maintain a coordinated information data base and provide a single point of access for children’s and developmental services, facilitate case resolution and establish a single agreement for service between clients and the service delivery agencies.

The Association received written approval from the Ministry to sell the property at 216 Mt. Pleasant Street in 1999. In September, 1999, the Foundation purchased a rural property at 333 Harley Road in Harley, to replace 216 Mt. Pleasant Street. Individuals moved into the home on December 16, 1999. This became the home for an individual repatriated from Southwestern Regional Centre.

Planning led the four individuals from the Spartan group home moving to Brantwood. The group home at 45 Spartan Drive became a “respite only” home as of April 1, 2000.

The result of planning discussions in 1999 was approved by the Board of Directors to try to increase services to all those on the BDACL waiting list.

Staff was requested to proceed with developing group homes using the format of a semi-detached  house to increase numbers served.  A group home residence would have to be selected for closure so the base funding could be earmarked to assist with the development of the semi and the individuals relocated to other Association programs, i.e. Associate family settings.

The group home at 16 Pinecrest Road was approved for closure June 7, 1999, and closed September 2000.  Individuals from this home were slated to move into the semi, as well as other Association programs.

In May of 2000, the government of Ontario announced the creation of Foundations:  A Transitional Initiative for Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities” to assist young people (aged 18 to 25 year) with developmental disabilities and their families to make the transition from the school system to life as adults in the community.  CLBrant submitted a proposal for this program, and in December 2001, it was announced that we received funding for this new program. 

In the fall of 2000, a semi property was found at 2 Fairmount and appropriate zoning accomplished.  In February 2001, the Board also approved the closure of 20 Hickory and the movement of the individuals from this home to other Association programs and the semi property.

On December 31, 2001, the Ministry of Community and Social Services approved Brant’s Early Years Centre Plan.  The plan included a recommendation that the Brantford and District Association for Community Living become the lead agency responsible for implementing locally the provincial initiative for an Early Years Centre in Brant.   The Professional Resource Centre at 265 King George Road was closed and re-opened March 12, 2002, at the new location for the Early Years Centre at 330 West Street, Brantford. 

In May 2002, the Association purchased the property at 366 Dalhousie Street for the new Head Office. The relocation to this office took place in November, 2002.  

In 2003, a Self-Advocates Group was developed. 

At the Annual General Meeting on June 25, 2003, the Membership approved a  name change for the Association to “Community Living Brant”. 

On May 18, 2004, the Ontario Budget announced that “the Province will be transforming services for people who have a developmental disability in order to create an accessible, fair and sustainable system of community-based supports”.   CLBrant  through parents, self-advocates, CLOntario and OASIS participated in focus groups to provide input to the process.

In September, 2004, the Minister of Community and Social Services announced the closure of the 3 remaining institutions by March 2009. 

On October 29, 2004, the purchase of property at 51 Amelia Street in Paris was completed.  The individuals who resided at 1016 Colborne Street relocated to this property on August 18, 2005. 

In January 2005, the agency embarked on the development of another Strategic Plan.  A Plan for 2005-2008 was formulated. 

In June 2005, the Supported Employment Program and Young Adults In Transition Program relocated to Dunn Enterprises on Elgin Street.  The intent is to create a “Hub of Employment Excellence” at this location.

In June 2006, the Respite Program from 45 Spartan Drive relocated to the 1016 Colborne Street East location.

The Mission Statement for Community Living Brant in 2005 is:

"Community Living Brant promotes full citizenship and respect for all people through education, support and services designed to meet the diverse developmental needs of children, adults, and their families.”

From the efforts of a small and committed group of parents who came together in 1952, the Association has grown to where it now supports over 245 individuals and employs approximately 200 people with a total operating budget in excess of $8 million.

The focus of our services continues to evolve as we strive towards integration of all people with a developmental disability into the life of the community.

Revised January 2007