Help Now! For over 34 years, Compass has provided free mental health, developmental and community services for children, youth and families in the Districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin. As local needs continue to grow, we were challenged with finding a new home to accommodate our service offerings. We are excited to announce that we have identified a future home, one that will have a positive impact on local children, youth and families for decades to come. The future home of Compass will be 1545 Gary Avenue in Sudbury, Ontario – the former site of the Cyril Varney Public School.
This former school requires upgrades to bring it back to life and accommodate our service offerings. The building has undergone extensive construction, with a plan to open in 2026. In addition to housing Compass’ current services such as mindSPACE, the new site will also be home to the region’s first Step-Up Step-Down Live-In Treatment Program.
MOVE TO GARY AVE FAQ
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What Compass programs and services are moving to Gary Ave?
All Compass programs and services currently being offered at our Frood site, as well as the new Step Up, Step Down program. We will no longer offer any services out of Frood once the move is completed.
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Why is Compass moving its core services?
This decision was made after careful planning and consideration. The new location gives our growing team the space to work together in one location and brings our core services together with our new Step Up Step Down (SUSD) program. Together, these changes will help us provide coordinated, high-quality care for children, youth, and families.
Our commitment to the community remains the same, and our Hub will continue to have a presence in the downtown core.
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How much longer will the building be under construction?
While some minor demolition occurred early November 2024, major construction began in January 2025. Generally, work will be conducted Monday-Friday during business hours (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.).
A portion of the building will open for services in August 2026 and remaining construction will be completed by Fall 2026.- Who uses your services?
Compass provides free services to over 2,000 children, youth and families each year across the Districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin. To learn more about our services visit http://www.compassne.ca/compass-programs/
- When will you open?
We are aiming to open the new site in Fall 2026, we look forward to sharing more details/updates as they become available. We plan to host an open house for the community.
- Once you are open, what are the hours of operation?
- Can neighbourhood residents use the green space outside of the building?
During construction, we are asking neighbourhood residents to avoid using the space for recreational use; however, Compass will be maintaining and revitalizing outdoor spaces in the coming years for both client use as well as hosting community events.
- What about traffic and parking?
We will not be using the streets for parking. All staff and client parking will be fully accommodated on-site. Because we have a set number of clients’ spaces and service time slots, we can only accommodate a certain number of sessions at a time. Overall, our staff footprint is small and, we do not anticipate any significant increase in traffic or noise. Traffic will be much less than the traffic the school previously would have brought in.
- How can I stay updated?
We will update this webpage as new information becomes available. If you have specific questions, please email nminialoff@compassne.ca or call 1-800-815-7126.
- Who uses your services?
