Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Missing again! and again, and again

Missing Cottonwood Lodge Patient Donald HANSEN
(last time his first name was Ronald). A good picture of him for a change. This fellow goes missing constantly, probably needs a closer eye kept on him, especially since the powers that be are warning the public about him almost immediately after he goes AWOL, ( he must have done something nasty in the past )

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Never forget

I vaguely remember the incident recalled in this article from the Coquitlam NOW;
  A story of compassion
        Poco woman keeps the legacy of her sister alive
Mary Steinhauser (25 Aug., 1942 -  d_cert. 11 June 1975)
Given name Maria Elizabeth Steinhauser was murdered at the British Columbia Penitentiary in 1975, she received two years of training at Riverview, and graduated as a RPN in 1962.
             Some fuzzy pics of this graduating class from my collection: one - two - three
A poor picture of Mary from the Registered Psychiatric Nurses class graduation  picture in 1962 from Riverview:
On the evening of Wednesday the 25th of April 1962 at Vincent Massey Junior High school auditorium in New Westminster, 92 women and 24 men graduated as psychiatric nurses.
They pledged all in unison:

      I do hereby pledge my wholehearted service to those entrusted to my care, endeavouring at all times to understand the patients individual emotional and physical needs and differences.
to that end I will strive for skill in the fulfilment of my duty holding sacred and inviolate all confidences entrusted to me.


      I promise to respect the personal rights and privileges of my patient and do all in my power to prevent of alleviate physical or psychological discomfort.
I will always be kind, tolerant and just. I will endeavour to cultivate a keen sense of observation and an understanding attitude.


      I acknowledge the dignity of my profession and accept the obligation it implies. I will faithfully perform my duties and will give the utmost in co-operation to those persons with  whom I associate in ministering to the mentally ill.


All of which I pledge on my sacred honor.


       The Province newspaper article about the events that caused her death.
Maria, graduated in 1971 from SFU, ( Remembered at SFU: Mary's Song ) with Ba of Arts, First class Honors,  living in Sechelt at the time, and in 1973 gained her Ma in Social Work, from UBC.  Her life was stolen from her.  News articles from the Sunshine Coast where Mary is mentioned in five of the six articles.

Father was August Steinhauser
Mother was  Johanna Henrietta Steinhauser nee.Reisner. both parents are now deceased.

Mary's sister Margaret (Steinhauser) Franz, is seeking any information, remembrances about her sister contact her via email     mfranz01(at)telus.net

UPDATE:  I recently Jan., 2014 found this forum thread   where some guards, staff, are remembering the times in 1975.    


“Mom” of the Downtown Eastside Bonnie Fournier dies
              Women’s advocate fought for rights of sex trade workers

Save the Riverview Hospital lands

The Riverview Hospital lands, are under pressure to be developed into market housing. Help to save the lands as a healing sanctuary for the mentally ill of OUR Province.



Please join the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society,( RHCS ) Facebook page. Twitter too!

Please sign the On-line petition or download a Word document petition ,which is a more official type of petition.
Blogs, about the hospital grounds
Mike Farnworth,MLA; Facebook forum " Protect the Riverview Lands"
And another Facebook group: Riverview Preservation Society
this group also has a petition to sign.

Click-able Map of the Riverview site

BISCO -- Brookside-Leeside-Roadside -- Centre Lawn -- Colony Farm
Crease Clinic -- East Lawn -- Essondale Hospital
Finnie's Garden -- Henry Esson Young -- Hillside unit
Home for the Aged-Valleyview -- North Lawn
Nurses homes -- Pennington Hall -- TreeFest -- West Lawn
John Davidson; "Botany John" blog. He was the first Provincial Botanist, who created British Columbia's first Botanical Garden at Riverview.
Other groups involved Riverview Horticultural Centre Society
Who also have a media NEWS Blog
You can also download a 42 page report titled, For the future of Riverview created by the Riverview Task Force.
Or Burke Mountain Naturalists, report: The Riverview Hospital Site, Respecting its Past,Realizing its Future
Coquitlam has designated the buildings and grounds, as a heritage site.
Download the Statement of Significance; SoS report PDF

Tour through the grounds


Paul Buikema, of Progress Landscaping, created this video.

Treefest 2011 slideshow


A slideshow of images from the Tree festival of 2011. Created in HD. Enjoy.

Riverview trees

Finnie's Garden -- slideshow

Finnie's Garden -- Pond restoration slideshow

TreeFest -- slideshow