Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (VIRCC) today along with Parliamentary Secretary for Corrections Laurie Throness, BC Corrections staff and volunteers, police, members of the justice community and local dignitaries.

The celebrations highlighted the rich history of the facility and the important contribution it has made to community safety on Vancouver Island.

In September 1913, the facility - designed by architect Col. William Ridgeway Wilson - opened its doors as the Saanich Prison Farm to 38 inmates, with room for 180. During the First World War, the building primarily housed prisoners of war and offenders against the Naval Discipline Act. From 1919 until 1964, it operated as Colquitz Mental Hospital.

The site then operated as a farm until the Provincial Gaol Service and Parole Branch united to form the BC Corrections Branch in 1970. The facility was then rebranded as the VIRCC and reverted to its original use as a correctional centre.

Today, the VIRCC looks very different on the inside than it did ten decades ago. In 1985, a major $24-million renovation both carefully preserved the historic exterior and converted the facility into the modern, functional correctional centre that it is today.

Quotes:

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton -

"I would like to thank the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre for providing a century of community safety at this historic site. VIRCC has done an amazing job of adapting to the needs of the region over time, which exemplifies its dedication to safety, security and serving the community. I commend the hundreds of dedicated correctional officers, sheriffs, police, probation officers and volunteers who contribute each and every day to the long, proud history of this centre."

Parliamentary Secretary for Corrections Laurie Throness -

"While the front of the building looks much the same as it did in 1913, behind the historic facade is a modern correctional facility that uses cutting-edge technology to maintain a high-security environment. It is an excellent example of how a correctional centre can be adapted to keep up with the times."

Mayor of Saanich Frank Leonard -

"For the past 100 years, the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre has played an important role in our community. The District of Saanich would like to pass on our congratulations to the management, staff, and volunteers - past and present - who have all played an important role in its history. We look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come."

VIRCC warden Shauna Morgan -

"All of the staff here at VIRCC take great pride in the 100-year history of our facility. We are thrilled to be able to show off some of the great work we do to address the root causes of crime through various programs that address criminal behaviour. That is the true legacy of this facility - the dedicated staff and volunteers who arrive every single day with a commitment to work with inmates so they can create a better life upon their release, and ultimately create safer communities."

Quick Facts:

• The budget for the construction of the Wilkinson Road Jail in 1913 was $100,000.
• Architect Col. William Ridgeway Wilson also designed the Bay Street Armoury and South Park School in Victoria.
• The majority of the first inmates served sentences for robbery, assault, vagrancy, breach of the liquor act, and aiding and abetting prostitution.
• In 1981, the VIRCC building was recognized as a Canadian historic site.
• The first prison warden, John Munroe, lived on the grounds with his family.
• There was at least one execution at the facility. The most famous case was Robert Suttie who was hanged Jan. 15, 1915 at 8:30 a.m., as directed by law.
• During the time the facility operated as the Colquitz Provincial Mental Hospital for the Criminally Insane, it housed as many as 300 inmates.
• In 1929, it became a prison farm and by the 1970s, it was producing 9,000 eggs a week and had a herd of 300 cattle.
• Currently the facility houses approximately 300 inmates overseen by 197 BC Corrections staff.

Learn More:

To learn more about the history of BC Corrections, please visit: http://pssg.gov.bc.ca/corrections/histories

For a look behind the walls of VIRCC, check out the photo gallery on the BC BSides blog: http://www.bcbsides.ca/?p=1457

(flickr.com)

Media Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 356-6961