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
- AUTHOR
LOL Shall we buy the place and open up a Restaurant/Bar? Maybe Martha Stewart could help us out with some of her famous prison dishes too.
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!"
- AUTHOR
Wesman, Thanks. I was thinking it would make a great hotel with a bar and restaurant myself. They could leave the cells or some of them as they are for those of us that want to have a feel for what prison life is like. :)
Very interesting!
I hope they make it into a nice museum :)
- AUTHOR
Dale, Always nice to see you. Glad you liked my hub and hope to talk to you soon. Take care.
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...
- AUTHOR
Jenna, Glad you liked it, and thanks.
Very interesting Hub. I say turn it into a museum or cultural center. Voted up.
- AUTHOR
Thomas, I recently read that they are thinking of turning it into a museum (Alcatraz North) and the government has it for sale for a mere $17.6 Mil.
Helz ya I'd want my own room too with an ensuite :)
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!
- AUTHOR
tillsontitan, Sorry for taking a few days to reply. Been busy with guests. Your comments are here. I have the comment box set up to approve comments before they appear as I've been getting a lot of spam lately. Thanks again.
- AUTHOR
MG Singh, Thank you.
- AUTHOR
tillsontitan, The movies that have been filmed at Alcatraz were all great ones. I'm sure someone will use Kingston Pen for a movie set too. Wish I'd gone over to see Alcatraz the last time I was in San Francisco.
Thanks for the votes and comments.
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.
- AUTHOR
Sue, I'm sure they'll figure out some way for it to become a money maker. On the bright side I've always want to see the inside of it so maybe now I'll get to.
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.
- AUTHOR
Thundermama, In the city where I live they are constantly putting in the big box stores and then the old stores sit there vacant. Some parts of town seem almost like a ghost town. Seems like such a waste.
- AUTHOR
nmdonders, Nice to meet you. I'm sure they will make the prison into a tourist attraction. It is a historical site so I'm pretty sure the buildings themselves are safe from being torn down.
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
- AUTHOR
Tammy, I hope Paul Bernardo gets put somewhere far away from me. He a really scary one. Thanks for stopping by and for commenting.
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.
- AUTHOR
RH, No he didn't escape to commit suicide. There are two theories. One being that the police had found the apartment where he was staying and had it surrounded. He killed himself as he didn't want to be locked up again. The other theory is that the shotgun he was in possession of back fired on him during a standoff. There is a book about this man as well that is called "Who Killed Ty Conn"
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!
- AUTHOR
RH, Go Boy is a really good book. I believe they sell both books on Amazon. I tried to insert the link for them but for some reason it wouldn't work. Ty Conn committed suicide two weeks after he escaped.
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?
- AUTHOR
Ruby, I read Go Boy many years ago. What a book, I couldn't put it down till I finished it.
- AUTHOR
Chrissie, I'd wish I'd visited Alcatraz when I was in San Francisco. That must have been quite the prison to see up close.
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....
- AUTHOR
Mike, I hope it doesn't change Kingston too much. The city still has quite a bit going for it as it is a University town. Thanks for the visit.
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.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Frank. The vampire rapist was active between 1969 and 1971.
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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