Treewalk

After a long wait, we finally did a treewalk; I missed the first one. At least 74 souls participated, a good turnout. 

a few photos from the September 12th event : the walk was led by arborist, Paul Buikema

No more, Riverview lands advisory committee

Sadly the Riverview lands advisory committee, of the City of Coquitlam, will be no more.

From the Tri-City News:  The city will no longer have a Riverview lands advisory committee

One can only hope that the City can continue to keep a close eye on Riverview, the council appears to have very short memories, many changes to Riverview lands were made throughout the years, nearly all being done on the quiet, behind closed doors, and presented to the bewildered public at the last minute, when the concerned public could do little to steer the outcomes in the general publics favor.

Another go at becoming a National Historic site

Round 2 for Riverview on national heritage designation bid
The city of Coquitlam's Riverview Lands Advisory Committee will discuss the application on July 9.
 The usually meet from  3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in the Council Committee Room, Coquitlam City Hall.
The public is welcome to attend, but are not allowed to contribute, unless asked. 

               BUT there is power in numbers; I encourage anybody interested to attend.
Cheers
 

Tree Fest 2017

Well the location has been moved this year, BC Housing has been exerting its new powers over the site, and this years Treefest has been located on the far edge of the property in a very wet, noisy site.


Treefest 2017 will be held on Sunday, September 10th from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Riverview Hospital Grounds located at 2601 Lougheed Highway. Bring the entire family to this free annual celebration of trees.

Activities include: hourly guided tree tours, history bus tours, antique radio museum tours, a heritage building walking tour, community displays, live music, food truck, and a Blackberry Tea.

The festival site is located on the Riverview Hospital Grounds at 2601 Lougheed Highway at the baseball diamond at Pine Terrace and Holly Drive.  Access the site via the Colony Farm Road entrance off of Lougheed Highway.  There is free on-site parking.

For more information, visit the
     Riverview Horticultural Centre Society Treefest page.

Treefest is presented by the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society ( RHCS ) and supported by the BC Housing, Burke Mountain Naturalists ( BMN ), City of Coquitlam, Kwikwetlem First Nations( KFN ), and Maple Creek Streamkeepers( MCS ).

Media Contact:  Carole Edwards
Tel: 604-461-3864
Email: cedwards6@gmail.com

A poster for this event  is available for download here

So where is it you say?, click on this Google Earth file, to find out ( must have Google Earth installed )

 Location of Treefest is shown in red

removal of Valleyview

Sadly the present government is continuing down its enviromentally unfriendly path of totalling removing Valleyview a purpose-built building for Senior care, and will replace it with some tiny place devoted to drug-users.

Article by Elaine Golds:
Green Scene: A disturbing demolition on Riverview grounds
I must admit to being disheartened by the demolition that is currently happening on the Riverview Hospital grounds in accordance with the plans announced by BC Housing last December.

The open-houses are long gone, and typical of the various governments, they release reports in summer.
So the RenewingRiverview has released their final reports, on cue.

The final Summary Report is available at this time (PDF) no mention of a timeline of when the Complete
Report will be released for the public's purview.

The level of care in Valleyview was astounding by many reports, under frequently difficult circumstances seniors with multiple health issues were provided with quality care; sad to see this still useful building go.

It appears that the present government is continuing down its path of selling off the lands for development, regardless of what the majority of the taxpayers want the site to be used for, PUBLIC HEALTH, as originally intended.

Protect Riverview video

Last January there was small gathering near Coquitlam City hall, rather quickly organized  by Jay Peachy and the weather was not friendly; I blogged about it before in this posting  (scroll down in article)

There was a loval community TV crew there, and they finally have released their video
entitled,   Rivervier Concerns (sic)

Local resident, Beverly Miller has her say at  the 3 minutes and six second mark

Roger Loubert, President of ArtsConnect speaks his mind at 5 minutes, 48 seconds

Nice comments by ex-MLA John Cashore  starts at  13 minutes and 14 seconds

And also comments from Burke Mountain Naturalist, Elaine Golds starting at  16 minutes and 42 seconds

 Enjoy

Renew or replace Riverview?

Last chance to comment on your views about the Riverview Hospital site.
    Commenting closes on February 12
You will need to register at the Placespeak site, then navigate to this posting:  A vision for renewing Riverview
Good luck with your quest to be heard; apparently the person who created the posting does nor know exactly where riverview is ! see picture below, somewhere up on top of Mary Hill

 And the Renewing Riverview website which appears to have been taken over by B.C. housing, and further crafted to their development at a loss to the public, apparent mandate.


And some more recent news from the papers:
LETTER: Riverview lands in Coquitlam can still heal
The Editor, In 1904, the provincial government purchased a thousand acres in rural Coquitlam for the future Riverview Hospital.

LETTER: Public property & mental health keys

LETTER: Refurbish Valleyview building
 [  I agree that this solidly built building should be repurposed, and NOT torn down.  ]

Development threatens Riverview

 LETTER: Majority has Spoken, province not listening (  top right  )

Kwikwetlem First Nation files Supreme Court challenge for traditional lands
 Parcel includes Riverview Hospital and Colony Farm Psychiatric Institute lands

[  Selling themselves far short here, since it is a well-known fact that the  Kwikwetlem peoples in the past utilized a very large portion of the Coquitlam watershed, and even had a summer camp at Coquitlam Lake.  Much like the last Provincial land sale where the Province handed over roughly 10% of the proceeds from the sales; 10% !!!  Why not 100% ? ]


Coquitlam council slams Riverview ‘sales job’ [ Where lone coun. Terry O’Neill defends the governments decisions to develop. Obviously a Lieberal Christie Clark, fan. ]

Protect Riverview

 Bad enough that I escorted a friend to the local hospital emergency, and spent the better part of the day there; only to come home to read the news; some good, and some bad.   Makes a person ponder who actually is the CEO of the Province? Christie Clark, or Rich Coleman, appears to be the later. 

Riverview real estate job is posted  MLA questions gov’t intentions.

I did find the BC BID Valleyview Hazmat Removal  open bidding contract; and the related documents:  BC BID for the Valleyview Pavilion; (PDF) and a Hazardous material and Deconstruction guide for Valleyview. (PDF)  converted and saved for eternity, away from the government servers.


And making the rounds is a press release:


For Immediate Release (January 28, 2016)

We are a collective of citizens in the province of British Columbia, in unceded Coast Salish Territories concerned about the provincial government's commercial housing plans for the Riverview hospital lands.

Under the banner of 'Protect Riverview' we stand in solidarity with members of the community, mental health advocates and healers from all walks of life.

We stand united and opposed to plans that include market housing and for-profit commercial development. We believe the land should retain it's initial purpose as a sanctuary for those with mental health challenges.

We envision a campus of care, of which many models around the world have been successful. We also see creative alternative and co-operative economic models as a way to provide social opportunities for community members who are easily excluded from mainstream economies. We believe in retro-fitting existing usable structures as a green approach to re-purposing buildings. We encourage those who share the same vision to unite with us.

Our first gathering with be at the City of Coquitlam, Spirit Square  ( Google Maps ) next to GlenPine Pavilion from Noon-2pm on January 31st. 2016. We invite others concerned about the future of Riverview to join the peaceful, family-friendly gathering in Spirit Square, See you there!

To find out more see us at:

Web:  Protectriverview
Email: Protectriverview@gmail.com
Twitter: @protectrview

--30--

A group that no one seems to know anything about; but for me the more the merrier.

UPDATE: So moi the intrepid reporter went to this event, the weather was wet and cold, but a good turnout for such a quickly convened gathering.  Some photos at Flickr 

Art meets Riverview

Our Riverview lands, painted
Port Coquitlam's Art Focus Artists Association will have three cube towers in a new ArtConnect exhibit in Vancouver that focuses on Riverview Hospital.

Riverview, Our Iconic Landscape
Pendulum Gallery, HSBC Building
885 West Georgia Street   Vancouver, B.C.
Exhibition from the 15th of February until the 5th of March, 2016


Some parking information

  A few links to ArtsConnect references to Riverview:
         About Riverview
             Riverview Slideshow

And a few preview Photos of some of the art from the ArtFocus group

I must say that more than a few of the artists captured the site feeling rather well, well done :)

Missing patient finally found

Sadly a bad ending, Donald Bonner, missing since 2008 from the Coast Cottages at Riverview.  I missed posting this in 2008, they can be a secretive lot in the forensic portions of the health care system.
Man who disappeared from Coquitlam psychiatric hospital found dead in Ontario

Must have had some help, money or both to get that far.

Born August 1959 , weight 110kg

 Remains of man missing from Forensic Psychiatric Hospital found in Ontario
 Missing forensic hospital patient found dead in Ontario

I do not remember his AWOL at all, if it had been more widely publicized the outcome may have been very different, this fellow would have stood out more than most in a crowd. 

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

Riverview for Sale?

   Received this message, I have added  the correct links. As usual a very short period of time to respond, not unusual considering the short attention span of our commandant.

BC Housing will be distributing to over 16,000 Coquitlam households. [ A PDF of it HERE, a simple message, reproduced almost entirely below ]   I am advised that BC Housing will also be running ads in a number of media publications starting next week including the Tri-Cities NOW, Tri-City News, Metro Vancouver, and 24 Hours. They will also have digital ads on the Vancouver Sun and Province websites.

Their website – www.renewingriverview.com [ Actually  http://renewingriverview.com/     RENEWINGRIVERVIEW  ]  – goes live on Monday, Feb. 17th. After the Riverview site goes live, Corporate Communications will be promoting the open houses via the City website and social media channels.

      Please Join Us at Our First Open House for the Riverview Lands Vision Process.
The Riverview Lands have over 100 years of significance in the province of British Columbia and the region. We would like to hear from you as we explore the possibilities for the future of the lands through a Vision Process.

Two Open Houses have been scheduled to serve as an introduction to BC Housing, the project team and the Vision Process.  We look forward to your feedback.

For more information, please visit our website    www.renewingriverview.com  [ renewingriverview ]

     or contact:

          ☎  Telephone:  604.439.8577          ✉  E-mail:   questions@renewingriverview.com

Renewingriverview on Twitter :    @RenewRiverview   tweet, tweet

Identical information will be available on both dates.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

4:30pm - 7:30pm (Drop-In)

Burquest Jewish Community Centre

2860 Dewdney Trunk Road, Coquitlam

[  View in Google Earth using a KML File   ]

Saturday, March 1, 2014

10:00am - 2:00pm (Drop-In)

Centennial Pavilion, Centennial Room,620 Poirier Street, Coquitlam

(Beside Dogwood Pavilion, entrance off Winslow Avenue)

[View in Google Earth using a KML file ]

[  From what I have been told, 7 days after this meeting, all public commenting will close  ☹   ]

Virtual Open House

       If you cannot attend the open house in person, we invite you to visit our website: www.renewingriverview.com  [ renewingriverview ] and participate in the online Open House. The Open House material will be displayed on this website starting February 28, 2014 and you will have the opportunity to submit your feedback.


Not much electronic chatter about this open-house.   Social media chimes in on Riverview

Have your say electronically, must sign up to comment at the B.C. Housing Corporations,  facilitators web forum  ( Placespeak.com )

             -30-

Just by chance I found this myhealthmycommunity ( many very similar named sites out there too ) It has been up since June of 2013, but no mention of a cut-off date.
Which is a website put up, by Fraser Health, and Vancouver Coastal Health looking for input, I say give it to them; but be kind.  ☺

        Lets all overload the servers involved, and send a collective message, to save Riverview, for whom it was intended all along, the health of the people of British Columbia, NOT the short term gain of some government accounting department.

          In the newspapers:

And now for something on a happier note, trees and women, article from the Vancouver Sun.
 Shelley Fralic: Surrey arborist sees the forest for the trees
      Carolina Arango hopes to get more women interested in arboriculture

Time to speak on Riverview   and   Open houses on R'view future start soon   [ outlining the first lead article in this post ]
 February 21, 2014 Tri-City News   click through to page a14
             Market Housing will be part of talks on R'view
UPDATE for the above, the Tri-city news, has not put this article online, so I transcribed it, and put it HERE
Finally ! the paper uploade it:  Market housing will be part of talks on R’view   (exact article, sans one picture )

Demolition at Riverview raises concerns.   [ Eminent Destruction of the Transport Garage, or as the Hospital Annual Report, named it, "Central Mechanical Depot" was built starting in March 1954, and added to throughout the years. Picture of the site  for the history books, now.  Hopefully not the start of a destructive frenzy. ]
  A few pictures for posterity

 

 Note the barn, long gone, and the gas pump close to the garage.

Before closure the gas pumps were further away in the top left area in this image

A good possibility that a few of the previous residents of Riverview, went to this care home, which has been told that Fraser Health will not renew their contract with them.Apparently Fraser Health wants them to provide more specialized care, which needs more room, to provide.  Hmm, Now where is a place that has lots of room and provided specialized care? The now gutted Valleyview 300, comes to mind instantly, North Lawn, also gutted and empty.
 Family speaks out over Coquitlam care home closure
                                         Coquitlam seniors care centre to close?
Continuing privatization of the health care system, with patients being used as pawns, in a nasty and cruel game, that will probably lead to the early demise of some patients.

CBC News Vancouver  Nov 15, 2013
Pieces of the land could be sold off to build condominiums   short video news item highlighting Coquitlam.
Missed this from last year, still pertinent though.

BC Housing presentation to RLAC

Not Riverview; asylum in New Jersey before and after photos. Hopefully the buildings at Riverview hospital will never look like that one; but wait a minute we have West Lawn, which was better built actually than the one in New Jersey, and that has been allowed to fall apart through neglect.

Open houses on R'view future start soon.  But after they destroy the transport services buildings, and a panoramic picture of the soon to be destroyed buildings.

        A day or two ago, the Coquitlam City, Riverview Lands Advisory Committee,(RLAC) met at City hall, and were given the presentation below, gleaned from a pdf of what looks like  dreaded powerpoint files; can you say boring ?

Housing Matters BC

City of Coquitlam – RLAC Presentation
January 14, 2014

•  Update to RLAC since October 9th, 2013

•  BC Housing’s mandate – self sustaining development model

•  Overview of public consultation plan for 2014

•  Incorporate City of Coquitlam thoughts into the engagement plan

PUBLIC CONSULTATION PLAN

Public Consultation Strategy

• Mindful of previous processes and consultation
• Look to engage a broader range of stakeholders
• First Nations

Objectives

• Outreach at a local, regional and provincial scale
•  Ideas and feedback
•  Social, economic and environmental aspects
• Report outcomes of public meetings and open houses
• Establish consensus
• Council Endorsement of Visioning Process

  3 Key Strategies

• Advisory Groups
• Public Open Houses
• Online and Social Media Presence

Stakeholders

• Engage stakeholder groups and agencies through Open House Events and follow-up meetings

ADVISORY GROUPS

Advisory Roles
 Advisory Groups

• Provincial: Government Agencies and Project Partners
• City of Coquitlam: Council, RLAC, and City Staff
• Social / Housing: Tri Cities Housing and Homelessness Task Force
• Economic: Tri Cities Chambers of Commerce
• Other Municipalities: Tri Cities, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, and others to be determined

 Stakeholder Groups & Agencies

• Engagement through Open House events
•  Follow-up meetings as required

OPEN HOUSE #1

  Collection of Ideas

•  Introduction of the Riverview visioning process

•  Overview of BC Housing’s role in the Vision Process

•  Summary of past reports, research and inventories

•  Statement of current commitments being considered by BC Housing & the Province

•  Summary of current maintenance costs, revenues and business models

•  Communicate the comments and feedback received to date

•  Indicate how the region has changed over the past decade

•  Collection of ideas from the general public and stakeholders

•  Outline next steps and public consultation plan for 2014

OPEN HOUSES

 Collection of Ideas

•  Introduction of the Riverview visioning process

•  Overview of BC Housing’s role in the Vision Process

•  Summary of past reports, research and inventories

•  Statement of current commitments being considered by BC Housing & the Province

•  Summary of current maintenance costs, revenues and business models

•  Communicate the comments and feedback received to date

•  Indicate how the region has changed over the past decade

•  Collection of ideas from the general public and stakeholders

•  Outline next steps and public consultation plan for 2014

OPEN HOUSES

Open House #2

•  “Creating Goals”

•  Prioritize and group ideas based on Open House #1

• Confirmation of priorities and goals

Open House #3

•  “Ideas for a Vision”

•  Present preliminary ideas

•  Confirmation of ideas

Open House #4

•  “Envisioning Riverview”

•  Present the Vision for Riverview

•  Confirmation of Vision 

CONSULTATION TIMELINE

December 2013 – January 2014

•  Preliminary meetings

•  Council update

• RLAC update

February – March 2014

•  Open House #1

•  Website and online consultation launch

•  Advisory meetings

•  Council and RLAC update

May - June 2014

•  Open House #2

•  Advisory meetings

•  Council and RLAC update

September 2014

•  Open House #3

•  Advisory meetings

•  Council and RLAC update

December 2014

•  Open House #4

•  Deliver a report to Council on the Vision

Missing, now found

If I remember correctly this fellow has done this before.

Missing man found
UPDATED: Riverview patient found
A good outcome anyway; still wondering about the other patients still missing.

Riverview UBCM resolution

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities , (UBCM) are having their annual town Parliament, and one of the resolutions is directed at Riverview.

RESOLUTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE 2013 ANNUAL CONVENTION

VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE, VANCOUVER, BC

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 TO FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

B121       REINSTATING RIVERVIEW         Maple Ridge

WHEREAS the lack of adequate treatment and housing for those suffering from serious or severe
mental illness is a reality experienced province wide, resulting in a less efficient system, with
unacceptably poor outcomes for the most needy citizens of BC, as well as severe financial and social
burdens on local communities;
AND WHEREAS the Riverview facilities and grounds have a proven history of providing a very
suitable environment for such treatment and housing, with much of the necessary infrastructure
already in place:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government immediately begin to undertake
all necessary action, including funding, to reinstate Riverview as a modern centre of excellence for
mental health care and support.
ENDORSED BY THE LOWER MAINLAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
UBCM RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: No Recommendation
UBCM RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE COMMENTS:
The Resolutions Committee advises that the UBCM membership has not previously considered a resolution that specifically requested that the provincial government reinstate Riverview as a patient-centred, wrap around care modern centre of excellence for mental health care and support.
However, UBCM members have consistently endorsed resolutions calling on the provincial government to
provide adequate support services for mental health patients.

 Past Resolutions

 (  2012-B37, 2011-B61, 2010-B42, 2008-A1, 2008-B51, 2006-B50, 2006-B51, 2006-B153 ).

And the Answer Is:

Endorsed as Amended (amendment in Bold red )

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government immediately begin to undertake all necessary action, including funding, to reinstate Riverview as a patient-centred, wrap around care modern centre of excellence for mental health care and support.

Followed quickly by:
Civic politicians demand Provincial Government re-open Riverview

UPDATES: Premier says Riverview Hospital won’t be reopened
     The Tri-City News:  Premier rejects UBCM call to reopen Riverview

[ Sold to the highest bidder who pads the party coffers no doubt. More interested in replacing a tunnel with a ( Guaranteed to be a toll ) bridge, the "Rusty Clark bridge" typical. ]

B.C. mayors call for a return to facilities like Riverview to treat mental illness

Lack of mental-health care in B.C. is immoral.  [ That last word that should be very familiar to our premier ]
Reopen Riverview, says mental health agency

Some Opposition from "professionals" :   Reopening of Riverview Hospital not the answer
Written by the CEO of the BC section of the Canadian Mental Health Association, (CMHA)
and  Marina Morrow, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences at SFU.
[ Typical writtings from two people who live in glass palaces away from the trenches. ]

 A letter to the editor...
Re: Riverview Hospital

Save these poor tormented souls who reside on our streets. They are without stability.

If these people with problems were put on a schedule of eating, sleeping and taking their medications, they would improve greatly. They need proper supervision. Riverview can provide that salvation for them.

Ruth Enns, Vancouver

Another Letter:
 Riverview renewal needed

I was disappointed when the premier announced the Massey bridge project, negating the dire need to look into the Riverview Hospital situation.

Wasn’t it closed because the government felt people shouldn’t be institutionalized? Face facts. Some poor souls are incapable of managing their medications, diets and general well-being.

I’m hoping Christy Clark will rethink the decision and put our tax dollars toward the greater need of addressing the mental-health situation in our province.

Marilyn Adrian, Langley


Monday, Sept. 23: Mentally ill deserve better care    Numerous letters to the Vancouver Sun.
Wednesday, Sept. 25:
  Premier douses Riverview plan; Mayors' Vote To Turn Hospital Site Into Mental Health Centre Nixed.

And a nice letter to the Maple Ridge News:    No public outcry over Riverview closing
   [ the writer brings up some very good points in the letter ]
Riverview was an asset  also from the Maple Ridge News, written by a former forensic worker.


          A news video discussion:     WATCH:    Should Riverview be reopened?

------------------------   (((((((o))))))   ------------------------

The Burke Mountain Naturalists, (BMN) prepared a handout for the delegates, volunteers went down to Vancouver, but were hindered by security, and turned away. :(
But Mae Reid, Coquitlam councillor heard of the plight and decided to print up 2,000 copies of the letter below and personally place them on the delegates seats in the venue. Apparently the resolution will be voted on this Thursday sometime; I will update this post when the resolution is voted on.

 BMN Handout

To:  Delegates at the UBCM Conference, September 2013

Please support the restoration of mental health care to Riverview!

The 99 hectare Riverview Hospital grounds contain a number of significant heritage buildings in a graciously designed landscape with a world class collection of trees.  First opened in 1913 to serve the needs of the mentally ill of the province (and originally called Essondale), the site has now matured into a stunning park-like setting which instills a sense of peace, tranquility and closeness to nature.  Last year when the hospital finally closed after decades of community service, the Heritage Canada Foundation placed Riverview in the Top Ten Endangered Heritage Sites in Canada.

But Riverview contains far more than a few magnificent heritage buildings.  Some of its buildings are more contemporary and could be readily made available for patient care.  For example, the Valleyview facility, which closed in late 2011, opened in 1959 and in many respects has all the features of hospitals of that era, most of which are still in use throughout BC.  Originally designed for over 300 patients, if re-opened, Valleyview could comfortably provide 150 beds for mental health care.  Other residential buildings such as Brookside and Leeside were recently used for over a year to provide 40 beds for dual-diagnosed patients when overcrowding at the Willingdon facility in Burnaby presented challenges in 2011.  The Centre Lawn building, opened in 1924 for 300 patients, was also used for health care as recently as 2011 and could be made available with little effort.  The North Lawn building, opened in 1955, remains available for patients from the nearby Forensic Psychiatric facility should flooding require its evacuation.  The Henry Esson Young Building, originally designed as a nursing school in 1957, contains 100 bedrooms as well as classrooms, a library and auditoriums.  Thus, it offers space for teaching and recreation as well as residential care.  The Coast Mental Health Foundation currently uses a number of cottages on site for their patients.  Staff at the Coast Mental Health Foundation frequently comment on the therapeutic value of Riverview’s grounds for their patients.

The West Lawn building, which opened in 1913, was closed in 1983 during a period of government austerity.  That it remains standing after 30 years of utter neglect is a testament to its sound and innovative (at the time) construction.  Unfortunately, this building now has vegetation growing on it and it is typically featured in news coverage.  Yet, in no way do the remainder of the buildings at Riverview share similar conditions or state of neglect.  The movie industry continues to use a number of buildings at Riverview including the magnificent Art Deco-style Crease Clinic.

Riverview is well situated in the lower mainland to serve patients, having close connections to the Lougheed and TransCanada Highways as well as public transit.  Volunteers continue to maintain Finnie’s Garden which was originally designed as special place that patients could call their own.  Unfortunately, the provincial government has, for the most part, stopped landscaping services at Riverview.  As a result, the lawns have become overgrown and volunteer tree seedlings are now several feet in height and threaten the integrity of the tree collection.  In addition, the lawn areas have become a hazard for walking and a fire risk during dry weather.

The needs of the mentally-ill should be addressed through the health care system.  While the development of modern drugs has resulted in some remarkable resolutions to mental health care problems, not all such problems can be fixed by the simple writing of a prescription.  Some patients will continue to need stable, longer-term care in a facility such as Riverview Hospital.  Too often what they get instead is overnight confinement in a jail cell.

We are also facing another tsunami of mental health care as the baby boomers approach the age of declining health.  Predictions are that the number of people suffering from dementia will soon increase dramatically.  Eventually all such people will require long term care for, at least, a few years.  Riverview Hospital, with its spiritually-uplifting and pastoral grounds, would be an ideal site to provide longer term care facilities for older patients with diminishing abilities.

Produced by the Burke Mountain Naturalists in Coquitlam who for many years have worked in partnership with the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society and other community  partners to enhance public awareness of the value and potential of the Riverview site.  For more information about Riverview, see our report “The Riverview Hospital Site, Respecting its Past, Realizing its Future” available on our website 

------------------------   (((((((o))))))   ------------------------

Also heard over the grapevine: Apparently the Royal Columbian Hospital is looking at expanding, and some rough estimates have been made, to expand at its present location will cost around 750 million, and to build new at Riverview would cost somewhere around 500 million, I  struggle to think that there is that much difference, but I could easily see 100+ million in price difference, which is still significant, saving more money for actual services. The Royal Columbian many years ago outgrew its present site, and I was always surprised that with all the development that has been allowed to occur in the area, why they were not knocking at the gate a long time ago.

Re-open Riverview?

I thought that silly season had ended, how wrong I am. We can house all the senators and failed politicians with room to spare. At least we would know where the senators are really living.
Mayors calling for re-opening of Riverview Hospital
video clip: Re-open Riverview

Article about the probable cause of all this alarm; Tri-City News:  Cities target gaps in care for mentally ill
Maple Ridge News:  Maple Ridge council calls for Riverview Hospital to reopen

       Opposition:  Warehousing mentally ill is cruel

Globe and Mail:  District urges reopening of Riverview Hospital mental-health facility

Global News:   Idea of re-opening Riverview Hospital gains traction
     Some nice comments with this article, and one un-informed comment so far.

Tri-City News:   Coquitlam lauds support for re-opening Riverview
Letter to the Editor:  Yes, reopen Riverview Hospital to help the mentally ill

Vancouver Sun:  B.C. pushed to improve mental health services, reinstate Riverview Hospital. 
                   Mayors, police call for provincial support for intervention centres for mentally ill, addicts

NEWS 1130:        Riverview Hospital was best for some patients: former nurse.
                      Maple Ridge Council wants to see the facility re-opened.  [ Some nice comments ]

 Topnews (NZ): Better Mental Health Care Services Needed
 Austrian Tribune:  Coquitlam’s Riverview Hospital should be reopened for Mental Health Patients

It appears that the story is gaining more legs than the average centipede...
The site was continually by previous generation dedicated to public health, lets keep it that way; get some life back into this beautiful property.

The venerable CBC radio had as a segment  on August 27;
  Call for Riverview to re-open, Life-long learning.
          Download the Podcast  [ mp3 file: runs 00:45:51 ]
Interviews with people  about re-opening Riverview, some retired staff, doctors, and head nurse Anna Tremere are interviewed.

 Hopefully if the powers that be, "see the light" and re-open Riverview, and the decent bus service will resume again.
BUS ROUTE HAS CHANGED   Low ridership blamed for bus route changes

TREEFEST

Tree 1380, looks like a cherry tree to me, Prunus sp.

Prunus serrulata “Kwanzan”. Oriental Cherry in fact.

Treefest is in September

City of Coquitlam's webpage about Treefest, and other environmental events.

Download a PDF Treefest poster, for FREE !
Tri-City News:    Riverview Treefest on Sept. 14 in Coquitlam
Green Scene, column written by Elaine Golds, ( a picture from moi !)

Apparently this years Treefest is under-funded considerably from past years, and the government bureaucrats have moved the venue area from the HEY building 

                        (which is being used by the movie industry, these days apparently)

  to the area in front of the I.D. building,(Industrial Therapy, Industrial Services), which is nearer to Finnies Garden, but farther away from the rather limited access to public washrooms.

 The staff also are adamant that they will not  have a portion of the lawn cut  as promised in a past meeting for this event; Typical !  And of course the public is not allowed to cut it either, even though we do own it !

Destruction by neglect of hard-earned taxpayer dollars that went into creating the hospital; but you can bet that the bureaucrats are still being paid handsomely.     Guerrilla grass cutting anybody ?

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 )

December 2012

The Riverview Heritage Conservation Plan, has been completed, read the report and decide if it adequately describes the heritage values.
Man who broke out of Colony Farm back in care

But we cannot have a full house, so another patient goes missing:
Patient missing from PoCo psychiatric hospital
The Coquitlam RCMP websites information about this patient, Kurt Derksen, age 58. Note that he went missing in Richmond, on a visit with his family, and that he had a full beard, last time he was seen.
Missing Port Coquitlam psychiatric hospital patient found in Ontario.
    [ So Kurt Derksen is now back in custody.]

Patricia Donna Reed, rest in peace

Jury recommends better response measures after woman dies at Riverview

Coroners make recommendations after mentally-ill woman's death

Daniel Reed, Patricia Donna Reed's husband.  Picture: Carmine Marinelli, 24Hours

           Family calls for better monitoring of mental patients

                  Missing person search lacked leader: inquest

                        Riverview security wasn't informed of missing patient for 8 hours, inquest hears.
                                             [Sounds all to familiar too me!]

                                Inquest urges use of swipe cards, GPS
                                           Mental patient ‘died alone in a ditch’, jury told
                           Slip-ups and delays in locating patient outlined;
                                Lack of zone-by-zone grid search meant no one looked in ditch where body was found

[A little late! The inquest was conveniently called after the hospital was closed.

 Timeline: Missing February 9,2011, found five days later, inquest posted (PDF) on August 23,2012, to run from December 3-7, 2012,  this stinks of political interference, since the hospital was officially closed in July, 2012. Coroners Verdict, (PDF)

  I wonder if the present societies who are using the site, are going to read and enable the changes recommended in this report? The ultimate responsibility lies with the CEO, and no censure will occur, as usual.  In theory Leslie Arnold was the CEO, but I find that Leslie Arnold and Michael Marchbank are actually both the Co-chairs. Heads should roll, this type of  incident has occurred before and the lessons from it were not learned. Can you say "Peter Principle"?]

UPDATE:       Shane Yorke left a message  19 October 2015

Very sad. I was the officer that found Patricia Reed's body in Feb a few years ago. She was the elderly lady that went missing and past away on the RVH Grounds. The hospital staff only cared about covering their ass and they notified Security that she was missing, but when I asked if they wanted us to conduct a search, they replied, "No", just keep a lookout for her. Well keeping a lookout for a lady on 240 acres of land, and over 68 buildings, while dealing with alarm responses, aggressive patients along with our other duties was impossible. Finally a search was initiated after a few days, but staff said not to bring in extra staff to conduct a full search.Just search when we had time between calls. What people didn't read in the paper was that the RVH patients had their own patient support / security that transported and looked for patients. Other than driving around on the paved roadways, they did not do any searching.
This was a very sad story, but honestly, when you have a transit system running through a mental facility, and patients have outdoor privileges, they're going to leave the site.

Great Blog BTW, and yes I testified at her inquest. 

--30--

Sadly the story that Shane wrote is all to familar to me. From what I have been told in the past when the hospital had its own dedicted patient and grounds security; a search would be made of the grounds by vehicle and on foot, they would start at one end and sweep throught the property, and frequently it would also include some of the patients; this meant that  a thorough search was made, by people who were familiar with the property. Sadly this protocol was thrown away when the security was privatized. 

Thanks Shane for telling us what you witnessed, and I hope that this event is not haunting you in any way.

More links about Patricia Reeds disappearance: ( sadly some of the links above have been removed )
Simple security measures may have been enough to save Patricia Reeds life

Demand for answers into Riverview patients death

Coroner to hold inquest into Riverview patients death

She died alone in a ditch: Sis
 It took authorities five days to find a mental patient who went missing last year on the grounds at Riverview Hospital, by which time she was dead.

Media for May 2009

Drugged, deranged and homeless
The long road out of Riverview
Coquitlam going for National Heritage status
Coquitlam wants Riverview Hospital recognized as National Historic Site

Media for April

From the NOW, April 11, 2008

No surprise Riverview closure was a disaster
Lougheed past Riverview worst section of 'highway'