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
Barn at Oakalla Prison Farm
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of barn at Oakalla Prison Farm (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph is taken looking north towards Deer Lake and Burnaby Mountain and was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Barn at Oakalla Prison Farm
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of barn at Oakalla Prison Farm (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Blacksmith shop building at Oakalla Prison Farm
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of old blacksmith shop building at Oakalla Prison Farm (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Acccording to photographer, this building was later used as a "Doukhobor hut". Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Oakalla Prison Farm
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1987-1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of acetate sheets and handwritten notes used in the oral report "Oakalla Prison Farm \ A Short History" presented by Ed Eckley to the Burnaby Historical Society on January 14, 1998. Included in the file are pamphlets for the presentation.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1987-1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Ed Eckley subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS120-007
- Access Restriction
- In Archives only
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
- Accession Number
- BHS2006-01
- Scope and Content
- File consists of acetate sheets and handwritten notes used in the oral report "Oakalla Prison Farm \ A Short History" presented by Ed Eckley to the Burnaby Historical Society on January 14, 1998. Included in the file are pamphlets for the presentation.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Continuation of title: "...A Short History"
Less detail
Oakalla Prison Farm papers
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912 (date of original) -1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of paper records created or collected by Edmund Eckley on the history of the Oakalla Prison Farm in Burnaby. Included in the file are; newspaper clippings, the "Official Closing Tour / Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre / Oakalla Prison Farm" programme as well as photocopies …
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912 (date of original) -1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Ed Eckley subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS120-001
- Access Restriction
- In Archives only
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
- Accession Number
- BHS2006-01
- Scope and Content
- File consists of paper records created or collected by Edmund Eckley on the history of the Oakalla Prison Farm in Burnaby. Included in the file are; newspaper clippings, the "Official Closing Tour / Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre / Oakalla Prison Farm" programme as well as photocopies of "British Columbia / Gaol Rules & Regulations / 1912" and photocopied aerial photographs of the site.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
- Included in the file is a resume for former Oakalla prison guard Robert Evans Shelly
Less detail
Oakalla Prison Farm reference materials
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936 (date of original) -1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of handwritten notes and reference materials believed to have been used in creating the oral report "Oakalla Prison Farm \ A Short History" presented by Ed Eckley to the Burnaby Historical Society on January 14, 1998. Reference materials include; photocopied plans, correspondence, yea…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936 (date of original) -1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Ed Eckley subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS120-008
- Access Restriction
- In Archives only
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
- Accession Number
- BHS2006-01
- Scope and Content
- File consists of handwritten notes and reference materials believed to have been used in creating the oral report "Oakalla Prison Farm \ A Short History" presented by Ed Eckley to the Burnaby Historical Society on January 14, 1998. Reference materials include; photocopied plans, correspondence, yearly financial statements, an "Oakalla Closes" programme along with various essays and statistics pulled from the Internet (and other sources).
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Less detail
Silo at Oakalla Prison Farm
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of silo at Oakalla Prison Farm (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Oakalla Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- The phasing out and demolition of the Oakalla Prison farm allowed for the planned development of the Oakalla Neighbourhood in the 1980s. By 1991, the City of Burnaby had adopted the Oakalla Development Plan which called for the transfer of land to the Deer Lake Park reserve as well as the creation of a new residential area consisting of multi-family housing types.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Oakalla Area
Less detail
Barbed wire fence at Oakalla Prison
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of barbed wire fence at Oakalla Prison Farm (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Ceiling with light and cell door inside death row cell number 3
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of ceiling with light bulb and cell door inside death row cell number three of Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Cell block inside Oakalla Prison
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a two storey cell block inside Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph has been taken from the secondary storey looking down.
Cell door and bed platform inside of death row cell number 3
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of cell door and bed platform from inside of death row cell number three of Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Cell door of death row cell number 3
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of cell door from inside of death row cell number three of Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Cell door of death row cell number 3
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph detail of bars on cell door inside of death row cell number three of Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Cells inside Oakalla Prison
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of cells inside Oakalla Prison Farm (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Change room inside Oakalla Prison
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of change room inside Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre) building. Uniforms are visible inside cubby holes of shelfing and running shoes are lined up on top of a counter in front. Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Control board inside Oakalla Prison
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the control board inside Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Signage attached to board reads: "THE COUNT BOARD / CARDS FOR EACH INMATE / WERE PLACED ON THIS / BOARD TO CONCIDE WITH / THE INMATES ASSIGNED / CELL. A COUNT OF EACH / TIER AND TOAL RECORDED".
Damaged wall inside death row cell number 3
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a damaged wall inside death row cell number three of Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.
Damaged wall near cell door inside death row cell number 3
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Oakalla Prison collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. negative ; 35 mm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a damaged wall near cell door inside death row cell number three of Oakalla Prison (Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre). Photograph was taken during Oakalla Prison Open House event.