The origins of Rossbrook House

City Centre

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This article was published 14/01/2026 (243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rossbrook House will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a luncheon on Jan. 20, which will take place on-site. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and lunch — a cream of mushroom soup, grilled chicken parmigiana, and an apple crumble with whipped cream and chocolate sauce catered by Urban Prairie Cuisine — will be served at noon.

The earliest iteration of the non-profit organization — which aims to provide safety and opportunities to children in vulnerable situations — was actually formed in 1974, when co-founders Sisters Geraldine MacNamara, Marylyn Gibney, and Lesley Sacouman invited local kids to play pool on their table in the basement at 588 Ross Ave., a house owned by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

That basement at 588 quickly became a safe space for youth with nowhere else to go. Many of these young people faced precarious home situations, and the sisters recognized the need for a permanent location. Its well-known location in a former church at 658 Ross Ave. – at the corner of Ross Avenue and Sherbrook Street, hence the name — wasn’t actually obtained until 1975 and it officially opened as Rossbrook House on Jan. 20, 1976.

Tickets are $50 each, and profits will go towards programming and supports for local youth.

To order tickets or learn more, visit rossbrookhouse.ca