Centracare (hospital)
Encyclopedia
Centracare is a Canadian
psychiatric hospital
in South Bay
, New Brunswick
, a suburb of Saint John
.
It is operated by Centracare Saint John Inc., a subsidiary of Horizon Health Network (formerly the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation) and is a modern 50-bed tertiary care facility.
. Its first director was Dr. George Peters who served from 1835-1848.
Ground was broken in 1846 on a new facility to be constructed of stone to replace the aging wooden structure at Wentworth and Leinster. This new building was to occupy a commanding location in the neighbouring city of Lancaster
, on a high bluff on the west bank of the Saint John River overlooking the Reversing Falls
gorge which was immediately upstream. An infamous nearby road intersection at the west end of the Reversing Falls Bridge
called "Simms Corner" (after the T.S. Simms & Co. Ltd. paint brush factory) was located on the north side of the property.
The first 90 patients moved into the building on December 12, 1848.
Dr. John Waddell served as director from 1849-1875, living for 26 years with his family in an apartment on the third floor of the building above the main entrance.
Dr. James T. Steeves took over the position as director and served from 1875-1895. The late 1870s saw tremendous growth in the number of patients being admitted, leading to overcrowding and turning away patients. The Great Fire of 1877
would have been easily viewed from the institution's location overlooking the city, however it was noted that this disaster did not have a significant effect upon the patients.http://www.saintjohn.nbcc.nb.ca/~Heritage/LunaticAsylum/Directors.htm
The building was modernized and living conditions improved during capital expenditures during the late 1870s that saw rooms painted and decorated, as well as the installation of dumbwaiter
s and elevator
s, hot water throughout the building, improved ventilation, water closets, and a central laundry service operating steam-heated washers and dryers. An 1878 addition (the first of five) was constructed to the building for housing male patients and a workshop was opened for them in 1880. In 1881 an addition was constructed for female patients which helped to relieve overcrowding concerns.
The hospital contained 15 wards which separated men from women, as well as paying patients from non-paying patients and by varying degrees of severity of illness. Able-bodied patients were expected to work in the building's laundry or clean various parts of the facility in order to pay for their stay. The Annex Farm opened on the Sand Cove Road in southern Lancaster, overlooking the Bay of Fundy
in 1885 and many residents worked there as well.
Dr. George A Hetherington served as director from 1896-1903 and oversaw improvements to the property's exterior, including various walkways, pathways and gardens of the Asylum as part of a project to encourage patients to do more outdoor activities. He was also an advocate of hydrotherapy
and led the Asylum through various implementations of this form of treatment.
Dr. James Vickers Anglin was the longest serving director of the Asylum from 1904-1934 and lived in the director's third floor apartment with his wife and five children. In his first year as director, the institution changed its name to the Provincial Hospital of Nervous Diseases. He oversaw numerous capital improvements including repainting of rooms, a new heating system, hardwood floors throughout the building's living and common areas, as well as the installation of electricity and lighting. Patient overcrowding during the 1920s, possibly as a result of New Brunswick veterans returning from World War I
, led to another addition constructed in 1927-1929 which saw two new wards, a kitchen and storeroom built.
A 1934 report indicated that from the institution's opening in 1849, it had treated 11,796 patients, of which 4,708 were discharged and "fully recovered".http://www.saintjohn.nbcc.nb.ca/~Heritage/LunaticAsylum/Directors.htm
Dr. E.C. Menzies served as director from 1934-1956 and oversaw ongoing capital improvements to the wards and treatment facilities, including the construction and installation of an operating room, X-ray department and sterilizing equipment in 1936; prior to this, patients had to be transferred to the General Hospital. World War II
saw a shortage of staff in trained doctors, nurses and ward attendants. An electroencephalogram was installed in 1951. The facility also purchased various residential properties along nearby Lancaster Avenue to serve as housing for the institution's staff.
The hospital experienced severe overcrowding during the late 1940s and early 1950s as the number of patients increased dramatically following the war when soldiers were repatriated to New Brunswick. Consequently, the provincial government decided to fund the province's second psychiatric hospital
, the Restigouche Hospital which opened its doors in 1954 in Campbellton
.
In 1955, the provincial government studied replacing the Saint John facility with a new building on the property occupied by the Annex Farm; the farm property had been expanded by 100 acre (0.404686 km²) in 1945. The proposed facility replacement project was cancelled in 1958 with a change in government.
In December 1956, the hospital recorded the highest number of patients in its history with 1,697 having been admitted.
Dr. Robert A. Gregory served as director from 1956-1969, followed by Dr. Ishan Kapkin from 1969-1971. In 1970 the Provincial Hospital Annex (also known as the Provincial Hospital Farm) was sold to the private sector.
Dr. Allan Robertson was the director of the institution from 1973-1977 and led efforts to convince the provincial government to replace the facility with more modern infrastructure. This period also saw considerable debate in the government led by Premier Richard Hatfield
over what to do about modernizing community care for the mentally ill.
Dr. H. Leonard Sussman served as director from 1977-1978, followed by Dr. John A. Finley from 1978-1981, Dr. J. C. Theriault from 1981-1983, Dr. Pierre Deom from 1985-1986 and Dr. James Millar from 1986-1995.
In 1985 the New Brunswick Mental Health Commission was established as the first of several steps in modernizing and de-centralizing institutional care in the province. At this time the institution was renamed Centracare. In 1992, Centracare came under the administration of the Region 2 Hospital Corporation, later renamed the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation which administered hospitals and health care facilities across southwestern New Brunswick.
In January 1996, it was decided by AHSC to change the focus of Centracare from a facility-oriented view to a program-oriented view. Linda Nice was appointed director and funding was secured from the provincial government for a replacement residential care facility while plans were made to demolish the original institution in Lancaster (now part of the city of Saint John). In April 1997 a $4.4 million (CAD) tender was issued to construct the new 50-bed psychiatric hospital
in suburban South Bay.
The new facility opened in the spring of 1998 and provides tertiary level psychogeriatric
and psychosocial
rehabilitation services and is the focal point of AHSC's mental health care that also includes psychiatric services at the Saint John Regional Hospital
and through various Community Mental Health Clinics.
The massive 150-year old original Centracare property in Lancaster, which was first called the Provincial Lunatic Asylum, had been purchased from the provincial government by industrial conglomerate J.D. Irving Limited for $1 million (CAD) in 1998. The building was vacated after the last 48 patients were moved from the building in the spring of 1998 to Centracare's new psychiatric hospital at South Bay.
J.D. Irving began the massive demolition of the vacant psychiatric hospital in Lancaster on March 9, 1999 and the entire structure was levelled within days. Some of the rubble was used to fill the basement while the rest was hauled away to a nearby construction and demolition landfill. The site was then hydroseeded and the property has been turned into a privately owned but publicly accessed urban park administered by J.D. Irving Ltd. The park offers spectacular views of the Reversing Falls
and the Saint John skyline.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
in South Bay
South Bay, New Brunswick
South Bay is a suburban Canadian community in Saint John County, New Brunswick.Located within the city of Saint John, the community is located west of the former city of Lancaster and was amalgamated into Saint John with that city in 1967....
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, a suburb of Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
.
It is operated by Centracare Saint John Inc., a subsidiary of Horizon Health Network (formerly the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation) and is a modern 50-bed tertiary care facility.
History
Centracare's history can be traced to 1835 when the Provincial Lunatic Asylum was constructed at the corner of Wentworth and Leinster streets in "uptown" Saint John, making it the first mental health facility constructed in British North AmericaBritish North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
. Its first director was Dr. George Peters who served from 1835-1848.
Ground was broken in 1846 on a new facility to be constructed of stone to replace the aging wooden structure at Wentworth and Leinster. This new building was to occupy a commanding location in the neighbouring city of Lancaster
Lancaster, New Brunswick
Lancaster was a small city on the west side of the Saint John River at its mouth into the Bay of Fundy. It was amalgamated into Saint John, New Brunswick in 1967.-External links:*...
, on a high bluff on the west bank of the Saint John River overlooking the Reversing Falls
Reversing Falls
The Reversing Falls are a series of rapids on the Saint John River located in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where the river runs through a narrow gorge before emptying into the Bay of Fundy....
gorge which was immediately upstream. An infamous nearby road intersection at the west end of the Reversing Falls Bridge
Reversing Falls Bridge
The Reversing Falls Bridge is a 2-lane highway bridge crossing the Saint John River at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It carries New Brunswick Route 100 across the river and there is no toll for its use.-History:...
called "Simms Corner" (after the T.S. Simms & Co. Ltd. paint brush factory) was located on the north side of the property.
The first 90 patients moved into the building on December 12, 1848.
Dr. John Waddell served as director from 1849-1875, living for 26 years with his family in an apartment on the third floor of the building above the main entrance.
Dr. James T. Steeves took over the position as director and served from 1875-1895. The late 1870s saw tremendous growth in the number of patients being admitted, leading to overcrowding and turning away patients. The Great Fire of 1877
The Great Fire of Saint John, New Brunswick
The Great Fire was an urban fire that destroyed much of Saint John, New Brunswick in June 1877. On 20 June when a spark fell into a bundle of hay in Henry Fairweather's storehouse in the York Point Slip area. Nine hours later the fire had destroyed over and 1,612 structures including eight...
would have been easily viewed from the institution's location overlooking the city, however it was noted that this disaster did not have a significant effect upon the patients.http://www.saintjohn.nbcc.nb.ca/~Heritage/LunaticAsylum/Directors.htm
The building was modernized and living conditions improved during capital expenditures during the late 1870s that saw rooms painted and decorated, as well as the installation of dumbwaiter
Dumbwaiter
Dumbwaiter may refer to:* Dumbwaiter , a freight elevator or lift between building floors* Lazy Susan, a small rotating table or set of cabinets used for serving food* An auxiliary serving table or cart....
s and elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
s, hot water throughout the building, improved ventilation, water closets, and a central laundry service operating steam-heated washers and dryers. An 1878 addition (the first of five) was constructed to the building for housing male patients and a workshop was opened for them in 1880. In 1881 an addition was constructed for female patients which helped to relieve overcrowding concerns.
The hospital contained 15 wards which separated men from women, as well as paying patients from non-paying patients and by varying degrees of severity of illness. Able-bodied patients were expected to work in the building's laundry or clean various parts of the facility in order to pay for their stay. The Annex Farm opened on the Sand Cove Road in southern Lancaster, overlooking the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
in 1885 and many residents worked there as well.
Dr. George A Hetherington served as director from 1896-1903 and oversaw improvements to the property's exterior, including various walkways, pathways and gardens of the Asylum as part of a project to encourage patients to do more outdoor activities. He was also an advocate of hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy, involves the use of water for pain-relief and treating illness. The term hydrotherapy itself is synonymous with the term water cure as it was originally marketed by practitioners and promoters in the 19th century...
and led the Asylum through various implementations of this form of treatment.
Dr. James Vickers Anglin was the longest serving director of the Asylum from 1904-1934 and lived in the director's third floor apartment with his wife and five children. In his first year as director, the institution changed its name to the Provincial Hospital of Nervous Diseases. He oversaw numerous capital improvements including repainting of rooms, a new heating system, hardwood floors throughout the building's living and common areas, as well as the installation of electricity and lighting. Patient overcrowding during the 1920s, possibly as a result of New Brunswick veterans returning from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, led to another addition constructed in 1927-1929 which saw two new wards, a kitchen and storeroom built.
A 1934 report indicated that from the institution's opening in 1849, it had treated 11,796 patients, of which 4,708 were discharged and "fully recovered".http://www.saintjohn.nbcc.nb.ca/~Heritage/LunaticAsylum/Directors.htm
Dr. E.C. Menzies served as director from 1934-1956 and oversaw ongoing capital improvements to the wards and treatment facilities, including the construction and installation of an operating room, X-ray department and sterilizing equipment in 1936; prior to this, patients had to be transferred to the General Hospital. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
saw a shortage of staff in trained doctors, nurses and ward attendants. An electroencephalogram was installed in 1951. The facility also purchased various residential properties along nearby Lancaster Avenue to serve as housing for the institution's staff.
The hospital experienced severe overcrowding during the late 1940s and early 1950s as the number of patients increased dramatically following the war when soldiers were repatriated to New Brunswick. Consequently, the provincial government decided to fund the province's second psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
, the Restigouche Hospital which opened its doors in 1954 in Campbellton
Campbellton, New Brunswick
Campbellton is a Canadian city in Restigouche County, New Brunswick.Situated on the south bank of the Restigouche River opposite Pointe-à-la-Croix, Quebec, Campbellton was officially incorporated in 1889 and achieved city status in 1958.Forestry and tourism are major industries in the regional...
.
In 1955, the provincial government studied replacing the Saint John facility with a new building on the property occupied by the Annex Farm; the farm property had been expanded by 100 acre (0.404686 km²) in 1945. The proposed facility replacement project was cancelled in 1958 with a change in government.
In December 1956, the hospital recorded the highest number of patients in its history with 1,697 having been admitted.
Dr. Robert A. Gregory served as director from 1956-1969, followed by Dr. Ishan Kapkin from 1969-1971. In 1970 the Provincial Hospital Annex (also known as the Provincial Hospital Farm) was sold to the private sector.
Dr. Allan Robertson was the director of the institution from 1973-1977 and led efforts to convince the provincial government to replace the facility with more modern infrastructure. This period also saw considerable debate in the government led by Premier Richard Hatfield
Richard Hatfield
Richard Bennett Hatfield, PC, ONB was a New Brunswick politician and long time Premier of the province .- Early life :...
over what to do about modernizing community care for the mentally ill.
Dr. H. Leonard Sussman served as director from 1977-1978, followed by Dr. John A. Finley from 1978-1981, Dr. J. C. Theriault from 1981-1983, Dr. Pierre Deom from 1985-1986 and Dr. James Millar from 1986-1995.
In 1985 the New Brunswick Mental Health Commission was established as the first of several steps in modernizing and de-centralizing institutional care in the province. At this time the institution was renamed Centracare. In 1992, Centracare came under the administration of the Region 2 Hospital Corporation, later renamed the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation which administered hospitals and health care facilities across southwestern New Brunswick.
In January 1996, it was decided by AHSC to change the focus of Centracare from a facility-oriented view to a program-oriented view. Linda Nice was appointed director and funding was secured from the provincial government for a replacement residential care facility while plans were made to demolish the original institution in Lancaster (now part of the city of Saint John). In April 1997 a $4.4 million (CAD) tender was issued to construct the new 50-bed psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
in suburban South Bay.
The new facility opened in the spring of 1998 and provides tertiary level psychogeriatric
Geriatric psychiatry
Geriatric psychiatry, also known as geropsychiatry, psychogeriatrics or psychiatry of old age, is a subspecialty of psychiatry dealing with the study, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders in humans with old age. After a 4 year residency in psychiatry, a psychiatrist can complete a one year...
and psychosocial
Psychosocial
For a concept to be psychosocial means it relates to one's psychological development in, and interaction with, a social environment. The individual needs not be fully aware of this relationship with his or her environment. It was first commonly used by psychologist Erik Erikson in his stages of...
rehabilitation services and is the focal point of AHSC's mental health care that also includes psychiatric services at the Saint John Regional Hospital
Saint John Regional Hospital
Saint John Regional Hospital is a Canadian hospital in Saint John, New Brunswick.Saint John Regional Hospital is the largest tertiary care referral hospital in New Brunswick and specializes in cardiac and trauma care services....
and through various Community Mental Health Clinics.
The massive 150-year old original Centracare property in Lancaster, which was first called the Provincial Lunatic Asylum, had been purchased from the provincial government by industrial conglomerate J.D. Irving Limited for $1 million (CAD) in 1998. The building was vacated after the last 48 patients were moved from the building in the spring of 1998 to Centracare's new psychiatric hospital at South Bay.
J.D. Irving began the massive demolition of the vacant psychiatric hospital in Lancaster on March 9, 1999 and the entire structure was levelled within days. Some of the rubble was used to fill the basement while the rest was hauled away to a nearby construction and demolition landfill. The site was then hydroseeded and the property has been turned into a privately owned but publicly accessed urban park administered by J.D. Irving Ltd. The park offers spectacular views of the Reversing Falls
Reversing Falls
The Reversing Falls are a series of rapids on the Saint John River located in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where the river runs through a narrow gorge before emptying into the Bay of Fundy....
and the Saint John skyline.