Oakalla Prison collection
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1974]-1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 37.5 cm of textual records + 125 photographs + 1 videocassette
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of a selection of Oakalla correctional facility records including reports, correspondence, photographs and a video tour of the death row incarceration cells inside Oakalla Prison taken by Burnaby Village Museum curator after the facility was closed. Most of the photographs docum…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 37.5 cm of textual records + 125 photographs + 1 videocassette
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of a selection of Oakalla correctional facility records including reports, correspondence, photographs and a video tour of the death row incarceration cells inside Oakalla Prison taken by Burnaby Village Museum curator after the facility was closed. Most of the photographs document Oakalla Prison in 1991 and were taken during the Open House event or when Burnaby Village Museum staff were granted access to retreive items prior to demolition. A small selection of facility photographs of site and staff are also included.
- Records are arranged into series:
- 1) Oakalla correctional facility records series
- 2) Oakalla correctional facility photographs series
- 3) Oakalla documentary photographs and video series
- History
- The Oakalla Prison Farm (also known as the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre) was a model prison farm on 185 acres of land next to Deer Lake in Burnaby. The Oakalla Prison Farm opened in 1912 and was initially designed to hold 150 men and 50 women. By the 1950s, the population was well over one thousand. The prison included a working farm which included a dairy, vegetable gardens and livestock. In 1959 the last execution in British Columbia took place at Oakalla. Following a riot and mass escape in the late 1980s, poor conditions, and public outcry, Oakalla closed down in 1991. In the fall of 1991, the prison was opened up to the public whereby tours were conducted of the site. Not long after, buildings were demolished and a residential housing development took it's place. A playground now sits on the former site of the main building.
In 1991, staff from Burnaby Village Museum were granted access, documenting the site prior to it's demolition. Many Oakalla artifacts and records were salvaged and accessioned into the Burnaby Village Museum's permanent collection.
- Creator
- Oakalla Prison Farm
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Names
- Oakalla Prison Farm
- Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre
- Responsibility
- Oakalla Prison Farm
- Accession Code
- BV991.45
- Date
- [1974]-1991
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Textual Record
- Moving Images
- Related Material
- See also Oakalla artifacts - BV991.45
- Arrangement
- Arrangement of records and series of this collection is based on record creators and subject that. Facility records and photographs were created and collected by Oakalla correctional facility staff and documentary photographs and a video from 1991 were created by Burnaby Village Museum staff.
- Notes
- Title based on content of collection
- Some records within this collection are closed. Contact Burnaby Village Museum for access.
Less detail
B.C. parole policy and procedures
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1980-1982]
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 2 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of copies of excerpts from "B.C. Parole Policy and Procedures"; with memo to adult probation officer-parole coordinators re: copies of parole forms to data control, Feb. 1, 1982; and blank form on statement of parole applicant along some handwritten notes.
British Columbia Gaol Service Uniform Specifications and Scale of Issue
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [198-]
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 16 p.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a sixteen page document titled "BRITISH COLUMBIA GAOL SERVICE / UNIFORM SPECIFICATIONS AND SCALE OF ISSUES". Document refers to uniform specifications for staff working at Oakalla Prison.
Inmate application form
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [198-]
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 4 p.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a blank "Report to British Columbia Board of Parole / Inmate Application form".
Lower mainland regional correctional centre - unit video movie selection form
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [198-]
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 p.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a one page form titled "LOWER MAINLAND CORRECTIONAL CENTRE (OAKALLA) / UNIT VIDEO MOVIE SELECTIONS" form.
Oakalla district west wing post review
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1980]
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- .5 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a copy of "Oakalla District West Wing Post Review" from Oakalla District Director's Office. The Post Review is divided into five sections; Section One: Organization Charts; Section Two: 04 Funds; Section Three: Current List of Posts; Section Four: Job Descriptions / Sample Staff Wo…
Project brief part A : Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre Oakalla, Burnaby, B.C. project #2074
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1981]
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 cm of textual records (91p.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a copy of a typewritten report titled "Project Brief" for Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre No.2074 - Oakalla, Burnaby, B.C.; "British Columbia Buildings Corporation Project RCLS".
Spacial requirements for female facility on Oakalla grounds
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 16 Dec 1980
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1.5 cm of textual records (51 p.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a copy of a typewritten report titled "Spacial requirements for female facility on Oakalla grounds". Contents includes; A. Generative Concepts; B. Functional Components; C. Inmate Profile