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A History of the Bob Rumball Organizations

 


The late Fredrick Brigden founded The Ontario Mission of the Deaf in 1872 to provide Sunday School instruction.

In 1924, the Mission built a church and Centre at 56 Wellesley St. East in downtown Toronto, purchased a camp in Parry Sound in 1960 as started a Group Home Program in 1967. This century of progress is the base on which The Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf is built.

Reverend Robert Rumball became involved with the Mission in 1956. In 1967, The Ontario Mission committed itself to a Community Centre for the Deaf. In 1973 the Church was sold and the proceeds started the fund for the Centre. The Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, formerly the Ontario Community Centre for the Deaf, is constructed on 6.182 acres of landscaped property in North York.
The Centre was officially opened April 5th, 1979 for a cost of $7.3 million, funded by the Ontario Mission, Government of Ontario Grants, the deaf themselves and donations from Churches, service clubs, corporations charitable foundations and concerned citizens.

Lack of communication in a hearing society creates serious problems for many deaf people. It can mean loss of social interaction, information, education, recreation and human contact.

At the Centre, professionally trained, deaf and hearing people work with the deaf community to help open doors to a fuller, more satisfying life.

The Centre is funded by services purchased by Government agencies and by private donations.

The Ontario Mission of the Deaf holds title to all the properties. Only deaf can be members of the Ontario Mission but are grateful to hearing friends who volunteer on the Board of Directors.