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Kingston Penitentiary-Canada's Oldest Prison to Close

Opened in 1835, Kingston Penitentiary, maximum security prison, is slated to close its doors along with Ontario Regional Treatment Centre, which is a psychiatric facility on the penitentiary's grounds. Both of these facilities are slated to be shut down over the next two years.
Why Close Kingston Pen?
Due to the prisons age it costs quite a bit to maintain according to Vic Toews, Public Safety Minister. A minimum security institution in Quebec is also being closed, and Toews figures that by closing both places 120 million a year will be saved. The government is also looking to cut close to 300 million from Correctional Service Canada budget.
Sadly many people's jobs will be affected. Kingston Penitentiary has more than 460 employees, and the psychiatric facility employs 42.
Kingston Penitentiary sits on the shore of Lake Ontario

Ontario, Canada

Kingston Penitentiary

A few interesting facts about Kingston Penitentiary over the years.
- First six inmates arrive in June of 1835.
- The first warden of Kingston Penitentiary was dismissed in 1848, and charged with 11 criminal charges due to overzealous disciplinary actions.
- A northwest block is opened to house female prisoners in 1913.
- A decision is made that Kingston Pen will only house men and the women are transferred to their own facility in 1934.
- A riot breaks out in 1954 involving hundreds of inmates.
- Guards were taken hostage, and two inmates were killed during a riot in 1971 that lasted for 96 hours. The Canadian Army was called in to help stop the riot.
- The prison is designated a National Historical Site in 1990.
- Ty Conn a bank robber manages to successfully escape in 1999, being the first to do this in over 40 years.
- Kingston Penitentiary has been noted as being the toughest and oldest prison in the land.
Is closing the prison a good idea?
Does the government look at everything that is affected by closing down these facilities such as:
- Even though they currently do not plan on building any new prisons to house inmates, eventually they are going to have to. Why not repair and keep what they have, as in the long run I personally think that it is going to cost more down the road.
- Prisoners will be transferred to other facilities that may or may not have room, which means inmates may have to double bunk. This to me spells out trouble, which could potentially lead to unrest among the prisoners.
- The penitentiary in Kingston, Ontario is the third largest job provider in the city. This obviously will have an effect on the economy of Kingston and its surrounding areas. Not everyone that works at the prison will be offered jobs elsewhere. The unemployed will no longer have the money to spend within the community, and this in turn will cause layoffs in other businesses, causing a trickle-down effect.
Notorious Inmates of Kingston Penitentiary
Over the years there have been many criminals housed at Kingston Penitentiary such as James Donnelly, Clifford Olsen, Russell Williams, and Wayne Bowden (Canadian Vampire Rapist). Paul Bernardo known as The Scarborough Rapist and The Schoolgirl Killer is currently imprisoned at Kingston Pen.
Roger Caron famous Canadian bank robber, who liked to wear Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon masks during bank robberies, was given the nickname Mad Dog Caron. His criminal career started out when he was a teenager. Caron holds the record in Canadian history of successfully breaking out of 13 prisons and jails.
In 1978 he won the Governor Generals award for a book he'd written called Go Boy. This non-fiction book is about his life, and a look into prison life that includes time spent behind bars at Kingston Penitentiary. Go Boy is a prison yell that inmates use when other inmates are attempting to escape. Caron's second book titled Bingo is an accounting of what happened during the 1971 Kingston Pen riot.
Once Kingston Penitentiary closes down it will be interesting to see what becomes of it. Will it become a tourist attraction? Some are saying perhaps it will be turned into a shopping mall. If you have any thoughts about this landmark please leave a comment below. Thank you for visiting.
Comments
Ha! That's an even better idea!
I can see the menu, "mystery soy 'meat' surprise!" Or, "I Can't Believe It's Chicken Codon Blue!"
Drinks like, "Mouthwash Hurricane," or "Stolen Vanilla Extract Ice Tea!"
Very interesting!
I hope they make it into a nice museum :)
Susan, came to say hello. This is both informative and very readable. Something most writers strive for you always seem to manage with relative ease. Nicely compiled and presented my friend. Hope you are well it's been awhile since I have been around to see ya...
Very interesting Hub. I say turn it into a museum or cultural center. Voted up.
Susan,
There are always so many variables when it comes to these closures. We have a prison here in Carson City that was built in 1862 and all the exact same questions apply. Here in Nevada...They have decided to goose this one along for another 5 years or so until they build a new one.
We shall see. Personally, I'm for a lot of prisons...if shit goes south for me...I want my own room. Right?
Thomas
Shows where my head is Susan, I forgot about "pre-approval"...knew it cause I use it too, but forgot!
I commented on this hub yesterday but don't see it here today...I think sometimes I forget to hit Post Comment.
Anyway, it is always a shame when they close down a prison...scary as well though they find a place for the 'inmates' it seems they belong where they are.
In California they made Alcatraz into a tourist attraction. People flock to it every year and come back with tee shirts saying they were at Alcatraz.
Your hub was well written and definitely thought-provoking. I hope it comes to a beneficial conclusion. Voted up, useful, and interesting.
Very nice post. Enjoyed it. Closing a prison is not a good thing
As chrissieklinger mentioned, the State of California turned Alcatraz into a tourist attraction. Alcatraz housed some of the U.S.'s most famous criminals including Al Capone and the Birdman of Alcatraz. As a tourist attraction it is also a place to see rare flowers and plants, marine wildlife, and thousands of roosting and nesting sea birds.
The loss of jobs from the closing of Kingston is the saddest part. They will always find somewhere to put the criminals but you wonder what percipates a decision to close a prison?
Voted up and interesting.
Hi Susan,
I had no idea that Kingston Penitentiary is going to be closed. I can see it becoming a tourist attraction.
Voted up and awesome
Fabulous hub! I'm with you, I can't understand why they wouldn't plan to fix the prison? We all know that new ones will have to be built to house these extra prisoners eventually.
I wouldn't ever want to visit an old prison - the very walls must be saturated in negative energy. Scary places.
Interesting hub, Susan.
It's a sad scenario all around. It's too bad jobs have to be lost and the building was to old and costly to maintain. I love old buildings and it saddens me when they're taken down.
That is going to be some undertaking transferring all those prisoners. That is a shame this will have a negative impact on the community, especially during the global economic crisis. That is one scary guest list!
Are you serious? He broke out so he could kill himself?? Seems dumb but I am sure he had a reason. Interesting though!
Yeah I am going to go and see what I can find on Amazon! I could use some new material and I bet it is absorbing!
Oh I want to read Go Boy now - and Bingo!
Super idea! This was fascinating...I wonder what they will do with it? A hotel? Lol
Hey did Ty Conn (funny name for a criminal!) get caught?
Susan, This is one of your best. I would love to read the book, ' Go Boy ' I wonder how many more will close all over the nation. This economy sure sucks....
I visted Alcatraz last year, quite an interesting place. I agree that the jobs that will be lost are bad, but some prisons are beyond repair.
This hub was very well written and informative about that place being shutdown, what I found quite interesting about it all is the background history you provided for it all, as well as the inmate history.
Great hub here Susan, voted up and getting shared for sure.
what a great informative feature.. even the famous prisoners kept me glued.. I never heard of the Vampire Rapist.. damn..
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