History
The Tillsonburg & District Multi-Service Centre (MSC) was formed when a group of community minded citizens, concerned about the lack of social services available in the Tillsonburg area in the 1970's, responded by creating the MSC. Those citizens included the MSC's first board members: John Armstrong, President; Frank Welsh, Vice-President; Norma Jones, Secretary; Ron Labelle, Treasurer; and directors Ian Linton, Muriel Casey, Father John Costello, Oscar Legein, Bill Pratt and Sharon Watkins.
Incorporated in 1977, the agency began operations in July 1978, at 185 Rolph Street, in a building donated by Gerry Livingston. Prior to the MSC's opening, many service providers met with individuals in need wherever they could find space. Information Tillsonburg was the first service offered by the agency. At present, a wide variety of services are offered in the areas of Adult Literacy & Essential, Employment Programs and Home Support Services.
Over the ensuing years, various services were either developed by the MSC, or located within MSC buildings, as agency capacity and infrastructure were developed. Photos of the various MSC locations are contained in this FACT SHEET and our programming history is detailed HERE.
In August 1998, the MSC moved into The Livingston Centre, a building named after Gerry Livingston, along with partners Community Living Tillsonburg, Fanshawe College, Service Canada, Thames Valley District School Board and several associated agencies and organizations. For more information on organizations and services available through The Livingston Centre visit www.thelivingstoncentre.com. If you are looking for services MSC is not able to provide, check out www.stonebridgecs.com, MSC's sister corporation.
Mr. Livingston was well known in the community for his both his business acumen and his support of community causes (sports, services, etc.). He supported Canada's Olympic male basketball teams in 1952 and 1960, received Papal honours in 1962 and died in 1988. For more information on Mr. Livingston visit the Annandale National Historic site or visit www.thelivingstoncentre.com.
The Livingston Centre provides a number of community, health, education and social services in one location - an important goal of the original founders of the Multi-Service Centre.
In 2008, during the Multi-Service Centre's 30th anniversary year, monthly articles profiling the agency's history appeared in The Tillsonburg News. See below to read: