Riverview Hospital, B.C.’s storied psychiatric hospital, officially shuts its last locked door on Friday.
The last of a few dozen patients housed in the 99-year-old complex in Coquitlam have been found new beds in a series of smaller care homes for the mentally ill across B.C., according to the Provincial Health Services Authority.
More than 500 patients have been transferred to the new homes in the 10 years since B.C. announced the creation of more beds to replace the ones in the hospital, said spokeswoman Lesley Pritchard.
There have been more than 900 beds allocated and another 300 are expected by next spring, PHSA said.
It has yet to be determined what will happen to the site, which at almost 100 hectares is about one-quarter of the size of Stanley Park and is considered prime real estate.
In 2007 B.C. Housing Minister Rich Coleman announced the site would be developed into a complex of 7,000 high-rise condos, including housing for the mentally ill. In the face of opposition, he later withdrew the proposal saying the public would be consulted first.
The PHSA will officially vacate the site on Aug. 31 and Fraser Health Authority will continue to operate three of those homes for psych patients on the grounds, according to spokesman David Haslam of the provincial ministry of labour, citizen services and open government.
That ministry is preparing a “heritage conservation plan” for Riverview. It has held public hearings and has promised its report by fall.
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B.C. Housing plans to hold public hearings following that, said ministry spokeswoman Sandra Steilo.
“We won’t know what the plans are for the land until further public consultation,” she said.
A number of groups and individuals have signed up as stakeholders, including the city of Coquitlam, environmentalists, local residents associations, historical societies, horticulturalists, youth societies, the movie industry, mental health advocates and gardeners.
“The land should be used for the mentally ill if at all possible,” said Norma Gillespie, the president of the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society, and former psychiatric nurse who helped the hospital with deinstitutionalization.
She said she understands that change is needed but her group is opposed to “any type of market housing” or selling Crown land. Her group wants to ensure the area’s special collection of varied types of mature trees, 1,800 in all, are protected.
“It is an absolutely beautiful piece of land with wonderful views. In no way should market housing be allowed on that site.”
A number of films have been shot on the site, including Watchmen, Jennifer’s Body and Dark Angel.
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