Is the Kingston Provincial Campus on the list? The Rockwood Asylum is located on the Kingston Provincial Campus.
Many Kingstonians are bitterly opposed to the redevelopment of the provincial campus, the nearby Kingston Penitentiary and the Prison for Women.
Rockwood could be demolished, if the buildings are transferred to a Government of Canada Crown corporation such as the Canada Lands Company. Federal heritage laws supersede provincial and municipal heritage laws. And buildings lose all heritage protection once they are transferred to the Canada Lands Company.
The United Nations agency UNESCO was created to save endangered buildings and landscapes.
" A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is selected by UNESCO as having cultural historical, scientific or other form of significance, and is legally protected by international treaties." (From: Wikipedia).
In the year 1976 a representative from the government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau signed the World Heritage Convention Treaty.
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
Article 1
For the purposes of this Convention, the following shall be considered as "cultural heritage":
groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science;
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The Village of Portsmouth in Kingston, Ontario meets all the criteria for inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site:
1.) The Kingston Penitentiary, Prison for Women, Isabel MacNeill Halfway House, Penitentiary Musem, Church of the Good Thief, Penitentiary water tower and the Correctional Learning and Development Centre (443 Union Street) are all clustered in one area. A tunnel connects the Pen to the Prison for Women.
2.) Inmates from Kingston Penitentiary constructed the Kingston Penitentiary, Prison for Women, Rockwood Hospital,the Church of the Good Thief, Penitentiary Museum and the Penitentiary water tower.
3.) All of the buildings were constructed with limestone. Elmhirst House at 443 Union Street has a limestone foundation.
4.) The buildings served a common purpose, or shared a common theme.
5.) The buildings were all protected by federal, provincial or municipal heritage laws, in some cases all three.
6.) Several of the buildings are endangered.
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Local politicians are also trying to preserve the historical integrity of the Village:
City of Kingston Official Plan - October 5, 2015
Potential Heritage Conservation Districts
7.3.C.6.
The City intends to investigate areas for designation as heritage conservation districts, including but not limited to:
(c) Portsmouth Village
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| The Rockwood Asylum, Kingston Ontario. |
Currently for sale:
Psychiatric hospitals - St. Thomas and London. Dr. Richard Bucke was the superintendent of the London Asylum for decades and he was the author of the book "Cosmic Consciousness: A Study of the Evolution of the Human Mind". See: The movie "Beautiful Dreamers"---Colm Feore portrayed Dr. Bucke and Rip Torn was the American poet Walt Whitman.
Jails - Windsor and Chatham. The Guelph Reformatory.
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| The bars and walls will be removed from the Prison for Women, Kingston. Photo was sent to me from the Heritage Buildings Review Office, Gatineau Quebec. P4W was a Corrections Canada property. |
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| The Shop Dome Atrium, Kingston Penitentiary. This area will be the focus of extensive redevelopment. Eleven KP limestone buildings are slated for demolition. And the guard towers and walls will be preserved "if possible".(Photo from Wikipedia). |
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| The Central Atrium, Kingston Penitentiary, a.k.a "The Big House". |
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