The Buildings on səmiq̓ʷəʔelə

Opened in 1913, West Lawn is the oldest building on-site. In 1983, West Lawn closed and remained unoccupied. To ensure your safety when viewing the building, please keep a safe distance from it. Access within the fenced area is strictly prohibited due to safety concerns. Trespassers will be reported to the RCMP.

Centre Lawn

Centre Lawn opened in 1924 next to West Lawn. It was originally known as the “Acute Psychopathic Wing.” It was designed by a different architect than West Lawn but is very similar in appearance. The four-story structure consists of reinforced concrete with red brick exterior facing. The main entrance utilizes a two-story portico with large columns and a balcony. The interior was renovated in the 1970s and, in 2019, it received additional upgrades, including roof repairs.

East Lawn

East Lawn, originally known as the “Female Chronic Wing” was completed in 1929 and opened in 1930. It is the largest building on site. The structure is reinforced concrete finished with a red brick exterior. The slate roof has a series of dormers, which BC Housing repaired in 2019.

Overcrowding in Essondale buildings caused tuberculosis to spread quickly through the client population in the first half of the century. In response, North Lawn was opened in 1955 to serve Essondale clients living with TB. The building opened with a bed capacity of 230 patients.

Crease Clinic was constructed in phases starting in 1929. The West Wing (originally called the veteran’s block) opened in 1934. It served veterans with mental health issues. In 1949, the building doubled in size with the addition of the East Wing, which would serve people with early signs of mental illness. It was then renamed “Crease Clinic” after Dr. Arthur Crease.

Crease Clinic is a four-story reinforced concrete structure – finished in brick, terra-cotta cladding and artificial stone. Until 1965 the Crease Building operated separately from Essondale Hospital. The two services merged following the adoption of the BC Mental Health Act.

The Crease Clinic closed in 1992 and has been a popular building for filming ever-since.

Boys Industrial School Cottages (BISCO)

The Tudor-style cottages were completed in 1922 as part of a much larger campus for the Boys Industrial School of Coquitlam (BISCO). In the 1920s, some believed that behaviours of "difficult" youth could be corrected through hard work. It was mandatory for youth to work as labourers at Colony Farm. This view was later challenged and the BISCO program shifted to educational tasks. The BISCO program was eventually relocated.  The cottages were repurposed in the 1950s for the Essondale Home for the Aged [sic], later referred to as Valleyview Hospital.

Holly Drive Cottages

There are nine cottages on Holly Drive. They were originally built to accommodate staff who worked on-site.  Cottage 106 was constructed in 1918 as the Farm Superintendent’s residence. Cottage 108 (1927) was used as the Chauffeur’s residence. Cottage 110 (1922) was the Boys Industrial School Chief Steward’s residence. The cottages are currently occupied by healthcare providers.

Oak Terrace Cottages

There are six cottages grouped along Oak Crescent to the north-east of the North Lawn building. They were originally designed as employee accommodations in the 1920s.

All three buildings opened in 1949 as nurses’ residences. They are two-story wood frame structures with stucco finish. Brookside was renovated in 2014 to be used for mental health treatment. The Roadside building is currently occupied by tenants.

The building was designed in consultation with kʷikʷəƛ̓əm. It features several design elements that are important to both the Nation and the facility’s clients. This includes natural materials, plenty of access to natural light, culturally safe gathering rooms and Indigenous art in both the interior and exterior of the building. The facility also has an outdoor patio, fitness rooms and educational spaces.

θəqiʔ ɫəwʔənəq leləm’ (Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addiction) is currently under construction and is expected to be complete late in 2021. This 105-bed facility will be used to support adults with complex or concurrent mental health or substance use issues. It has design features to support trauma-informed care. These include:

• Private rooms with ensuite bathrooms
• Lighting that adjusts throughout the day to support people with atypical sleep cycles
• Natural light, wood, stone and warm colours to create a calm atmosphere
• Exam rooms with multiple exits for entering and leaving