Woodlands

What was once Woodlands is a thirty minute drive from my house. I have been to the memorial there, and as someone who is mentally I was utterly overwhelmed by it.

What took place there was absolutely horrific. So horrific that it’s nearly impossible to wrap my head around. That said, I will provide details to educate those that know nothing about it.

I’m going to utilize various quotes regarding what happened to best demonstrate occurrences.

Woodlands was originally established as a Provincial Lunatic Asylum, opening in 1878. It would later become known Woodlands School, and would continue operating until 1996. It was a Provincially run institution.

The crimes committed at Woodlands were finally documented in a report by former BC Ombudsman Dulcie McCallum in 2000. The results were shocking.

The following is a rundown of criminal misconduct regarding the facility documented in that report…

“Sexual Assault and Abuse: Residents, including children, were subjected to sexual abuse by staff and other students. Victims were often warned by officials not to report assaults to protect the abusers’ families.

Physical Violence and Assault: Abuse ranged from beatings with brooms and fists to severe physical trauma. Staff pulled residents by the hair, locked them in isolation rooms for weeks, and forced them to take icy cold showers.

Medical Negligence and Torture: Residents were deliberately burned with scalding hot water until their skin peeled off. Teeth were forcibly pulled out from residents labeled as "biters." Sterilizations and unauthorized surgeries (such as removing appendices) were performed without consent.

Chemical Restraint and Overmedication: Children were heavily medicated "against doctor’s orders" to keep them subdued, with some staff members later committing to sanatoriums after complaining about these practices.

Neglect and Punishment: Punishments included shackles, belt leashes, withdrawal of food, and seclusion. Residents were lined up naked for bathroom use and treated inhumanely, with many suffering from chronic infectious diseases due to poor conditions.”

Following the report legal action was taken to provide compensation to those that suffered at Woodlands. In my opinion it was not nearly enough. Further to that, the Government of British Columbia denied for decades that nothing had happened, revealing their complicity.

In the end the following was decided…

“A class action lawsuit filed in 2002 resulted in a settlement approved in 2010, providing former residents who suffered abuse after August 1, 1974, with payments ranging from $3,000 to $150,000. However, survivors who attended before 1974 were excluded due to the Crown Proceedings Act.

Residents who lived at Woodlands prior to August 1, 1974, received a flat payment of $10,000.

Residents who lived there after August 1, 1974, but had not received full compensation through the earlier class action, were topped up to a combined maximum of $10,000.

Payments were made directly to living survivors without requiring them to re-litigate their experiences or admit liability by the province.”

That last line is of import - “or admit liability by the province.”

If you live in the Lower Mainland you may have driven by what was once Woodlands. It’s all high rises now, a quaint community. But nothing can erase what happened there.