TACL History

TACL Early Years: A Community Responds

In the early 1950s, many families in the Kootenays had children with diverse needs who were living in institutions far from home. Driven by the strong belief that these children could learn and thrive within their own community, and motivated by the difficulty of visiting them from a distance, families and volunteers came together to build a facility closer to home.

The Kootenay Society for Handicapped Children was founded by Dr. W. J. Endicott and members of the Trail community to run a school for children with disabilities. The society was officially incorporated on September 13, 1967, and continued to grow, providing both education and support as “The Maple School.”

Transition and Growth: From School to Sheltered Workshop

Over the years, The Maple School transitioned from a classroom setting to a sheltered workshop for adults. The classroom moved to Sunningdale School, where it was overseen by Katie Shaw, a pioneer in the movement to establish equality for individuals with disabilities.

During the 1980s, the workshop relocated to downtown Trail and was renamed Trail Contracting Services. The organization also began to expand its residential support. Portland House, a home for life skills training, opened with support from the Kiwanis, and soon after, Willow Place in Warfield opened as a group home. This marked the beginning of the organization’s "group home" era, which has since expanded to include five residences.

Recent Expansion and Community Focus

The Trail Association for Community Living (TACL) has continued to grow and diversify its services to meet the needs of the community.

• 2012: Career Development Services (CDS), which provides employment services for the greater Trail area, came under the TACL umbrella. Today, CDS has expanded to include social enterprise, outreach services, and programs for people experiencing homelessness.
• 2013: TACL began managing the La Niña Extreme Weather Shelter, which was originally located at the United Church before moving to the Community Inclusion Centre for several years.
• 2015: TACL purchased a former church on Riverside Avenue and renamed it the Trail Association Activity Center (TAAC). It became the home for TACL’s Day Program, Child and Youth Program, and Community Support Services.
• 2017: TACL purchased the Community Inclusion Centre (CIC), a space designed for community groups and individuals to come together. The CIC also provides employment services through WorkBC and CLBC programs.
• 2018: The Rossland Avenue House opened as one of the community’s first cluster homes, providing assisted living for five individuals.
• 2018: TACL took over the Trail Youth Centre to address a critical community need. In July 2025, TACL purchased the building.
• 2024: A new 25-bed shelter, built by BC Housing and the City of Trail, opened on Riverside Avenue. The shelter provides much-needed support and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Since its beginnings, TACL has grown exponentially and now provides such a wide range of services and supports to all vulnerable populations living in the Greater Trail area.