Our beginnings go back to January 1979, when a group of five lay persons and ministers known as “The Founding Five”, established the Brockville and District Ecumenical Care Community. It was recognized as being the first such Seniors Centre in Canada to focus on serving the needs and interests of area seniors living at home.
In April 1980 when the organization officially launched, our organization became known as The Brockville Good Shepherd Centre. Over the next 18 years, with financial assistance from the Provincial Govt, the Centre provided many social activities, thousands of Meals on Wheels meals, transportation services, foot care, over 2000 telephone calls and in-person friendly visiting contacts each year, home maintenance and home help services, social lunches, dinners, dances, day trips, and the list goes on.
As regional government services developed, provincial funding to our organization decreased, and we transformed. Our organization’s home moved to Wall Street United Church in 1998, now under a new name of “The Shepherd’s Welcome Centre”. Social and recreational activities, trips and special events continued and grew, with some financial support provided through an annual donation from the Shepherd’s Centre Foundation (established from a generous bequest from Lawrence Stein) and some from fundraising.
In early 2018 our organization’s name was changed to Brockville 50+ Activity Centre. We continue to grow and provide more and more activities to participants.