1965-1970
The story of our practice begins long before many of us can remember, back in the days when Cooksville was just starting to take shape into the community we know today. It all started with a man named Robin H. Williams, who was one of the first to dedicate his life to caring for the eyes of our neighbours. After graduating from The Ontario College of Optometry, Dr. Williams became the first optometrist in Cooksville and opened his practice at 2581 Hwy #10 (Hurontario St., just south of Dundas, sometime in the 1940s. He lived on Kirwin Avenue, in Cooksville, where he quickly became a staple in the community, offering his expertise to those who needed it.
A few decades later, in 1963, the Ontario College of Optometry began its Doctor of Optometry Program, giving rise to a new generation of optometrists. One of those fresh graduates, Dr. Vince Zuccaro, had already set his sights on Cooksville. As a young boy, Vince would often visit the area with his family, especially to see George at his farm on Camilla Road, not far from the heart of Cooksville. Vince’s family owned a fruit store near Toronto’s “Sunnyside,” and he had a deep connection to this community that he knew would be the perfect place to start his practice.
In 1965, word around town was that Dr. Williams might be ready to retire. Seizing the opportunity, Dr. Zuccaro, with the help of his father, purchased the practice that had been running for over 30 years. And so, “Williams and Zuccaro, Optometrists” was born. The office, though small by today’s standards, was full of promise: a cozy waiting room with just four seats, a tiny frame dispensary no bigger than 5’x 5’, a lens grinding lab, and a single exam room where the magic happened.
As the years passed, Robin Williams began to slowly ease into retirement, and by 1967, the practice name was changed to “Zuccaro and Williams, Optometrists.” That was the same year that optometry was included in the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), marking a huge milestone for the profession. It was a year of change in more ways than one—1967 also saw the Toronto Maple Leafs win their last Stanley Cup, a moment that would go down in history. In 1968, Mississauga officially became a town, bringing together the communities of Clarkson, Lakeview, Cooksville, Erindale, Sheridan, Dixie, Meadowvale Village, and Malton.
It was a time of growth, of change, and of connections, just like the story of this practice. From humble beginnings to a community cornerstone, we’ve been here for the people of Cooksville for decades, continuing the legacy of those who laid the foundation before us.
