Family Vision Centre is the only service/business remaining of the original mall tenants in 1972 at the New Sudbury Centre. The practice is located on the second floor of the mall above the food court.
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Family Vision Centre, formerly Skilling, Peloso and Maki Optometrists has roots deeply entrenched in the Greater Sudbury community.
In 1970 Dr. John Skilling, having graduated from the School of Optometry at the University of Waterloo, returned to Sudbury to setup practice with Dr. John Bell.
At the time "optometric professional services" were available only in the downtown core. Consequently, in 1972 Skilling and Bell opened a part-time practice in the New Sudbury Centre. The office was located in a section of the mall known as "Rue La Ronde," the first enclosed shopping facility in Sudbury. The remainder of the New Sudbury Centre was in a strip mall format with Woolco and Loblaws at opposite ends.
In 1974 the practice grew to a full-time operation with Dr. Mario Peloso joining the practice. A significant change came in 1985; the mall was totally enclosed comprising of Woolco, Sears, Taste Buds Food Court and the Galleria Offices. Rue La Ronde was phased out and the practice, which was bursting at the seams, was relocated to its present location in the Galleria Offices, above the food court.
Dr. Jamie Maki joined the practice in 1992 and shortly thereafter the Val Caron office was established in the Val Est Mall. In an effort to achieve a more user friendly environment for their many patients, and eight staff members, the office was renovated to a more "open concept."
Dr. Monique Binks, joined the practice in August 2001, and she offers bilingual service.
Dr. David Chisolm joined as a part-time associate in December 2001 in addition to having a practice at the Medical Arts Building on Long Lake Road.
Currently yet another expansion is underway to accommodate the patients and practitioners. In keeping with these "changing times" the name of the practice has also been changed to the Family Vision Centre to convey to the public that the practice provides a wide range of vision services to all family members.
Looking back over the years, Dr. Skilling says the one common factor that stands out as a constant in the practice is change.
