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7 · Thursday, February 4, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com The new face of business on Bond Street By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Less than a decade ago, the media was descending on Oaklands Regional Centre where 10 residents, including 46-year-old Randy Mogridge who wandered off and was found in Sixteen Mile Creek, had died over four years -- thrusting the Bond Street facility for the mentally challenged into the spotlight. In the intense scrutiny, government, the community and the families of Oaklands residents were casting a wary eye at the facility. Under that microscope, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn stood one afternoon on Oaklands' front lawn with then Minister of Community and Social Services Sandra Pupatello. It was announced Oaklands would not close, but it would change -- and clients would be free to move out into group homes in the community. Today, the centre sits behind a new name emblazoned on its Bond Street entrance -- the Central West Specialized Developmental Services (CWSDS). But that is just the beginning of the changes that have taken place since Pupatello announced the transformation of Oaklands. Four community homes have been established and 19 clients live in them. More are on the books. "We do have families interested in them," said CWSDS executive director James Duncan. Staff have moved out into the community to support those clients. Forty-six clients still remain living at CWSDS, but in less crowded conditions, according to Sue Walker, long-time president of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 249. Walker said clients are housed four to five in a house, rather than 17 in a house -- a situation she recalls. New programs have been added, staff training augmented, funding increased. "The Ministry of Community and Social Services has provided ample support in two fashions," said Duncan, noting there has been money for both original and new programs, which includes staff training and staff development. Recently, union and management threw a thank-you party for staff for the good work they do. Flynn -- who had stood with Pupatello after former Oaklands resident Randy Mogridge went NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER A NEW CHAPTER: In front of the new sign at the former Oaklands Regional Centre, now the Central West Specialized Developmental Services, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, Executive Director James Duncan and Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 249 president Sue Walker on staff appreciation day. The sign is a small part of the big changes at the Bond Street facility. missing and was found perished in Sixteen-Mile Creek -- also attended. He extended a "simple thank you" to the staff who do a job that allows others -- society in general and families in particular -- to carry on with their lives while the lives of their loved ones also continues. He also recalled the past as a time when he said, the media was focused on Oaklands for the "wrong reasons," the staff-management relationship, was he described as, at times "combative" and acknowledged that sometimes people don't understand or acknowledge the work that developmental services staff does. "Those days are gone," said Flynn, noting he has always been proud of having the facility here. It has much more positive developments to celebrate currently -- thanks in no small part to Duncan, who was also brought on board for the transition. The staff appreciation event was one that has been taking place for four years -- locally and across Ontario. Union and management join in thanking the members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) for their commitment. "This is something CUPE and OPSEU is doing jointly with management across the province," said Walker, who represents 200 workers attached to CWSDS. Flynn noted developmental services employees provide many services across Ontario that people take for granted. "They deal with some of the most difficult aspects of our society," said Flynn. CWSDS services those with developmental challenges. It still has 46 residents living on site -- one of the only facilities in Ontario to do so as regional centres that once housed the developmentally challenged were closed last year as the province moved toward integrating the clients into the community rather than institutions. Pupatello announced Oaklands, too, would follow that trend, but that families and clients could choose to remain or move into the community. The former Oaklands facility operated on a much smaller scale than say the Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia that housed nearly 2,000 people. Nor were Oaklands clients exposed to the type of lifestyle at the larger facilities that included behav See Staff page 8 Guaranteed Income for Life... ...no matter how the markets perform* Our guest speaker, Nilesh Patel, will provide information about the Manulife GIF Income Plus, an investment solution that provides many benefits including: · Predictable income guaranteed never to decrease* · Potential for income to increase and keep pace with inflation · Flexibility to access your savings at any time Date: February 10, 2010 Registration: 6:30 pm Presentation: 7:00 pm Location: Hosted by: Holiday Inn Oakville (The Oak Room), 590 Argus Road Doug Stone, Insurance Advisor Dundee Insurance Agency Ltd. Nilesh B. 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