1931 Census

 So I have removed the previous posting for the 1931 Census, since the Federal government continues to totally alter  their websites.

Here is the 1931 Census pages for Essondale, Colony Farm.  

Enjoy ! a useful tool, but I wish that they would stop playing around with it, since now I have thousands, Yes Thousands of dead links because of their extreme changes.

Missing patient found

Missing for a short period of time  .
From the Colony Farm Forensic Psychiatric Hospital.
Sukhdev Singh Badyal was reported missing Saturday evening around 8:40p.m. and is wanted on a warrant of committal.
He is described as a 47-year-old South Asian man, with short dark brown hair and brown eyes. Badyal is about 5-foot-11 and weighs about 215 pounds. It’s not known what Badyal was wearing at the time he left the hospital.
 He was found the next day. No mention of how?

Two missing patients

No.1:  February 10, 2016 David Fomradas was reported on an unauthorized absence from a Forensic Psychiatric Services housing program located on the Riverview lands in Coquitlam, BC.
Mr. Fomradas is described as:

    Caucasian male
    38 years old
    5'11" tall
    156 lbs
    Blue eyes
    Long light brown hair
    Moustache and beard.

Clothing Description:

    Dark grey pants
    Brown sweater
    Black jacket
    Hat or toque (unknown colour).

Fomradas has the potential for violence when not on his medication.

David Fomradas

Not the first time this fellow has walked away:
Psych patient on the run from lawsuit
 A mentally-ill man who crashed a hijacked car and injured a Vancouver actress is being sued by his victims.

Blogged about these events before

Evidently a much tighter rein was needed with this fellow. They will be making movies about this fellow before we know it.

UPDATE:  This fellow has been found, and a long way from here. 

---30--

No. 2:    On February 12th, 2016, Violet Miharija was reported as an unauthorized absence from the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam. Violet Miharija is now wanted on a Canada wide warrant for being unlawfully at large.

Violet Miharija is described as:

    41 year-old female
    5’2’’ tall,
    178 lbs
    Dark brown shoulder length hair

Violet was last seen wearing a green sweatshirt, green sweatpants and white running shoes.

Violet Miharija

Appears that she has numerous charges laid upon her in the Surrey Court system

Two buildings are being reopened

 Transcribed article from:  Page A6 Friday, September 12, 2014 Tri-City News

More Health help planned for Riverview

Hiring fair on Saturday for a program to help men, women

By Diane Strandberg, The Tri-City News

Riverview Hospital may have closed two years ago but discussion on the future of the 244- acre site is ongoing, with many suggesting it become a refuge for people with mental health and addiction issues.
It apparently is already, with a program about to launch on the Riverview grounds for people recovering from both mental illness and addiction.
The executive director of non-profit Coast Mental Health confirmed this week that three years of funding has been granted by the Provincial Health Services Authority for a program for 40 men and women to run out of the Hillside and Brookside buildings on the site.
Tomorrow (Saturday), a job fair is being held on the Riverview grounds to seek out people for more than 40 positions, including mental health practitioners, cooks, housekeepers and leisure therapists.
Darrell Burnham said the referrals will come from the Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addictions, with Coast Mental Health providing up to a year or more of support through a variety of counselling and clinic al programs, including 24-hour nursing care.
Denise Bradshaw, program director with BC Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, said the money comes from a $5-million fund announced by the Ministry of Health this year to deal with people who have both mental health and addiction issues.”The goal is to allow people to have a longer stay in treatment and recovery before moving back to home communities, “she said.
Whatever the goals, members of the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society are welcoming the news as a sign that the former provincial mental health hosp ital is still regarded as a place to support people with mental illness.
“It’s such a place for healing,” said Norma Gillespie, who noted society volunteers will be cleaning up the creek next to the Hillside and Brookside buildings to make the area welcoming for the new residents.
The group has long championed Riverview as a centre for mental health excellence and Gillespie said the establishment of a new program, albeit relatively short-term, is a good sign.
“We are thrilled,” she said.
Burnham said the reuse of the two buildings was considered because they didn’t need much work except for some safety upgrades and paint, and could be open quickly. As for the longer term use of Riverview, Burnham said that would be decided through BC Housing’s ongoing vision and review.
Coast Mental Health also operates a cottage program at Riverview for approximately 41 men and women.
dstrundberg@tricitynews.com

NIALL WILLIAMS PHOTO

The Hillside building is one of two on the Riverview Hospital site that will be used for a new program aimed at helping people with mental health and addiction issues.

--- 30 ---

Here is more information for the job seekers who want to work for Coastal Mental Health on this project.
 There is actually more job fairs this Thursday and Saturday.   Good Luck !

In a side bar in the above article Diane Strandberg also mentions the Rally at Colony Farm, which has now happened, and you can find out more HERE
And secondly mention is also made of the Third Renewing Riverview open houses

The signs of something happening at Hillside and Brookside did not go unnoticed, I mentioned it before

October is upon us

 Recent news:
 Letters to the Editor:   Monday, Oct. 21: Readers call for more support for mental health

 Riverview not the answer
 [ more drivel from the misguided academic. Throw her into the trenches for a few years and see if she changes her mind.  ]
two letters to the editor:   Riverview’s future
 ----------------------------------

Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson ready to tackle mental health ‘crisis’

Reopening of Riverview Hospital not the answer
 Opinion: Truly compassionate solution would be an honest look at how we treat people with severe mental illness   [ When are the writers of this piece going to start to give an "Honest look at how we treat people with mental illness" ]

A letter replying to the above article:  Thursday, Oct. 3: Riverview healed my mother, saved my childhood

A letter in the local paper:   Riverview saved my life  Great to hear the voice of former patients.

More than 200 new beds for seniors, people with mental health issues announced.
[ Further hardening up of the privatization of the health care industry. The shit hits the fan though when these for-profit groups want more money from "OUR" government, and the patients are used as pawns ]

World is lighting up purple for mental health
Can you say Barney ?

 David Spence — Riverview Cemetery Memorial Service

     Gathering information on the names of the people interred in the cemetery and inviting their families to participate in the event. Sunday, November 17, 2013 as the potential date for the Memorial Service.
A project still in the planning stages.

 <<<<<     (     )     >>>>>

We are at the early stages of another planning process, apparently the present land management outfit: Shared Services, is transferring their control of Riverview to BC Housing, will be interesting to see how that works out, No idea who actually will be in total charge of the fort, as usual.
BC Housing will be starting a planning process to look at revenue creating ways to maintain the buildings and grounds, about time! It was very noticeable through the years how the site had empty space; that I know local groups would have loved to have, but were turned away  when they asked. Will be interesting to see if this attitude will change.
As a goodwill measure they have started to cut the lawns again, a good neighbor thing.
A few local news articles: 
 Not a 'surplus asset'

Cutting the grass, BC Housing says, shows it means business about Riverview's future
 Correction to the above article from Anna Tremere:  As a point of clarification re "bodies of thousands of patients lie in rest."   My comment was that "there are over one thousand patients interred in the cemetery."  The actual figure I was given by Shared Services in 2012 was one thousand and eighty five patients interred.

[ I am looking into getting the list of internments in the cemetery, and will ask if it is allowed to be made available to the web.]

 This closure was 'nuts'
 It's time to talk about Riverview

Another letter from a patients family:  Renew Riverview Hospital to support mental health

Found out on the side that they are making 500-800,000$ per year from the movie industry use of the site.
And that it is costing actually about 3.5-4 million per year to maintain the site.

The Greater Vancouver Water District is scheming away to run a large 2 metre diameter water pipeline to Surrey through the western end of Riverview and along the western edge of Colony Farm; one giant huge mess ahead. See map below the Yellow line was an early idea, that has now been changed to the blue line idea.

March 2014, Update:  some news about the water tunnel under construction; Metro Vancouver drilling $240m water tunnel under Fraser River (with video)
And the official Metro page devoted to the project;   Port Mann Water Supply Tunnel

Missing from Colony Farm

A patient of the forensic facility at Colony Farm has gone missing.
Coquitlam RCMP seek missing Colony Farm patient
Coquitlam RCMP website: David Fomradas missing from Colony Farm
and a possible partial explanation for his absence, was printed in today's Province
Mentally ill carjacker likely stressed out by victims’ lawsuit

And another patient, Gregory Owen Schleen goes missing:
 Second patient escapes from Colony Farm

UPDATE: Both are still missing as of June 23.
Patients still missing from Forensic
  Hospital completes first of two reviews and may soon issue more unescorted day passes

September 2011

Three patients now missing; it must be contagious

Cao Phan FOUND
Robert Cheng FOUND
Linda Muriel Stephen

Silly season has started ! Municipal elections in November;

PHOTOS: Should this hospital be in Coquitlam? City wants Columbian moved
Move Royal Columbian Hospital to Riverview?

Related to health care:
Community Living B.C. cuts cause pain

Colony Farm Industrialization scheme

TREEFEST 2011 on the Riverview Hospital grounds; everyone is welcome.


TREE TOURS: The Popular Tree Tours which highlight some of the more than 1,900 trees on the site
11am, 12 noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm - leaving from beside the HEY building

HERITAGE BUILDING WALK: 12:00 Noon

There will be a Heritage walk with Don Luxton, well-known heritage consultant and member of the Vancouver Heritage Society who knows the grounds well. It will include walking to the main heritage buildings, but NOT inside.

CHILDREN'S TREE WALK: 2:30

Children of all ages will enjoy this wonderful walk. - leaving from near the HEY building.

SPEAKERS

"The Healing Power of Trees": Jay Peachy  

"Horticulture Therapy": Katie Hughes

ARTS: local artists on site displaying, demonstrating & selling their work.

ENTERTAINMENT

1:30 – 2:30 pm Stringz Aloud Finnie’s Garden Susan Vigneux and Don Kellett, play swing, jazz, traditional music using guitars, mandolin.

2:30 – 4:30 pm Dragana Hajduk Finnie’s Garden

11:00 am –12:30 pm Ernie Higgins, plays a guitar North side of HEY near concession 

12:45 – 2:15 pm The Acchords North side of HEY near concession

2:30 – 4:00 pm Sharmaine and Luvena Kwong North side of HEY near concession 

BLACKBERRY TEA: 1:30 - 4:30 - Blackberry tea served in Finnie’s Garden 

-Back again by popular demand. Tea will be served this year by volunteers from BMN & Maple Creek streamkeepers.

CHILDREN'S CRAFT ACTIVITIES

FOOD CONCESSION

FREE SHUTTLE BUS

This Event is FREE no registration required. Lots of Free Parking!

If you require more information phone 604-927-3583 or email Mary@rhcs.org

Bring the entire family to this free annual celebration of trees on the Riverview Hospital Lands.

Treefest is supported by:

Coquitlam Foundation

Coquitlam Towing & Storage

Meridian RV

Riverview Hospital Historical Society

TD Friends of the Environment

Thrifty Foods

WSI

Treefest is organized in partnership with:

ArtsConnect 

BC Mental Health Society 

Burke Mountain Naturalists

City of Coquitlam 

Shared Services BC 

SPARC 

Riverview Horticultural Centre Society 

The Riverview Horticultural Centre Society, RHCS

"Speaking for the Trees since 1992"

Media for May

May 28: Keep Riverview as is, say B.C. chamber members

Chamber lobbies for Riverview lands
more bricks in the wall.

UBC Farm, is also under threat. Check out the FaceBook,(ack!) group: Save the UBC Farm
The Friends of the UBC Farm
The "Official" UBC Farm website
Read An article concerning the fate of UBC greenspace

----------
May 9, Globe & Mail
SAFE INJECTION SITE
Canada needs to show it cares about most vulnerable
Insite must stay open

SAM SULLIVAN, Mayor of Vancouver

You have all read about international surveys ranking Vancouver as one of the best places in the world to live, work and visit.

But for every one of those, you will also read about the social challenges of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health facing our city.

Recently, these issues have been raised in the context of the debate around Vancouver's safe-injection site (Insite) - the only one in North America. Some opponents have described Insite as a big party with free drugs. As mayor, I see it more like a palliative care facility.

Despite apparent reservations about the future of Insite, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government deserve credit for significant federal investments in drug treatment, prevention and mental health. Over $30-million will be allocated to Vancouver priorities thanks to these recent announcements.

These initiatives - combined with the B.C. government's leadership on social housing - have led to a renewed sense of hope that collaboration between all levels of government is a reality and a critical part of the solution for Vancouver. We are working hard to ensure new supportive housing investments meet local demand - recognizing that we have more than 3,000 units of social housing on the way for the 1,500 Canadians homeless on Vancouver streets.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada is recognizing the Downtown Eastside as a national issue and charting a new course to help people suffering with the concurrent disorders of mental illness and drug addiction.

Among other things, we are promoting prevention, street outreach teams, innovative treatment options and community partnerships to help women get out of the survival sex trade.

In the fall, beds will start to reopen at the Riverview mental-health facility in Metro Vancouver. Canada's first Community Court will open this summer in the Downtown Eastside. And at the end of next month - Canada's operating permit for Insite expires.

The renewal of Insite is an opportunity for the federal government to demonstrate its commitment to compassion and listening to the "grassroots." The longer Insite remains open, the more our community supports it. In fact, some who were opposed to the site are now for it.

Failure to seize this opportunity will lead to more overdose deaths and infectious disease. A negative decision also has the potential to erode much of the goodwill generated by the recent actions I have described.

As Mayor of Vancouver, I have made it clear that I fully support the continuation of Insite - as much as I endorse the recent federal commitment to address concurrent disorders in Vancouver.

The bottom line is that Insite is part of the solution in Vancouver - not part of the problem. By working together and responding to local priorities we can deliver hope, collaboration and a civil city from the bottom up - not the top down.

We can show the world in 2010 how a civil society can care for some of its most vulnerable and marginalized peoples. It is a challenge I know Canada can live up to.

We won't have a second chance.

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The Clinical lab and consult services, consisting of 14 staff, moved last April to Oak House, part of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital at Colony Farm. The were previously ensconced in North Lawn which is now totally uninhabited. They will continue to service Riverview Hospital from their new digs...

The Provincial heritage board, has declared Riverview Hospital as a heritage site. The City of Coquitlam, is still continuing to encourage the Federal government to also give the site heritage status. A brick at a time, will build the wall to preserve the site...