Abandoned & Haunted, Read My Ghost Story, a photo from British Columbia, Western

Photographer's Note

Please view the larger Beta version RIVERVIEW HOSPITAL .

This Psychiatric Hospital means a lot to me. For many reasons. First and foremost, I used to be employed here as a Nurse, so I have a personal connection to this place.

This is Riverview Psychiatric Hospital. You're looking at West Lawn - which is now abandoned. The entire hospital has many many 'lawns' West, East, Centre, North, and other buildings and units as well. The land it occupies is very large, very beautiful and spacious.

This, West Lawn, has been abandoned for several years as it was deemed unsafe from a structural standpoint.

I love these buildings because they LOOK so haunted, LOOK so Hollywood-Horror-Movie in style and atmosphere. Yet they're real, they housed chronically mentally ill patients since the early 1900's, up until about 15 years ago.

And yes, its Haunted, its a fact, its true, its creepy, with many many stories and nurses reporting strange events.

There are too many stories to share...but my most memorable is one i'll share with you. please read on...if you dare :)

Working on the bottom floor, the other floors were no longer housing patients as it was in the process of closing down, but this process takes a long time.

We were working on the bottom floor, the only floor with patients, the upper floors were abandoned for well over a year. We could hear noises from the top floor. We called security to go upstairs to investigate. What they found was the most unnerving and most heart breaking thing i've ever been apart of.

When security reached the top floor, they could see a light flashing outside of a patients room, the light that indicated a patient is pressing the 'call bell' for assistance. This was unnerving into itself as why would the call bell light be flashing if patients hadn't been here for over a year!

Security went into the room, and they could hear loud female screams coming from INSIDE the walls.
Security vowed to never return, never go back, they were so scared and frightened, it had a severe impact on them.

I wanted to take Lars and Rob here when they visited last year, but we didn't have time. If other TE members visit Vancouver, I will take you here :)

There are many more ghost events, but one is enough for now.

I forgot to add that many Movies and TV shows have been filmed here. The most famous being the movie Shutter Island with Leonardo DiCaprio, and the TV series The X-Files. 50% of the time I go here they are filming something.

pajaran, Fis2, ikeharel, holmertz, snunney, papagolf21, Royaldevon, jean113, worldcitizen, pierrefonds, ChrisJ, claudeD ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

jemaflor (148094) 2018-12-19 23:45

Hi Craig,
A nice architecture for this old hospital, good light, interesting view to complete your series about abandoned building, tfs.

Silvio1953 (222747) 2018-12-20 0:49

Ciao Craig, great view of fascinarting old house, excellent perspective, fine details and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

Fis2 (171789) 2018-12-20 0:49

Witaj Craig!
Beautiful building, I love it.
Abandoned?
Object for sale?
Wonderful facade, stairs and columns make impression.
Good POV, compozition and colors.
Well done.
Greetings from south Greater Poland.
Krzysztof

ikeharel (114435) 2018-12-20 1:15

Hello Craig,
What a story, and what a majestic building this once was.
One day it will be preserved and restored as a mansion, I can be certain about it, but if ghosts caome again... can only imagine what secrets it holds inside...
Excellent capture from street level up.
Have a nice new day,
Ike

ifege (49257) 2018-12-20 1:22

Hi Craig
Apart from your personal connection this is the sort of place that you love. Great photo and leaving the darks dark adds to the image.
cheers
Ian

holmertz (103520) 2018-12-20 1:47

Hello Craig,
Surely one of the security guards disappeared and was later found with his stomach slashed open and his intestines hanging out. And what happened in the next episode? ;-)
I guess this is one of the few places where a DANGER sign actually makes you stay away. But the building looks good and could probably be restored into something very nice. Of course Ghostbusters would have to be hired.
I like the photo too, but it goes without saying that it's perfectly sharp and with fine colours.
Best wishes,
Gert

snunney (130967) 2018-12-20 1:57

Hello Craig,
The sense of abandonment is quite palpable. Although I don't believe in ghosts I believe things happen in this world that we don't fully understand. Excellent point of view and composition. Perfectly exposed with superb colour contrasts and very good sharpness.

papagolf21 (152607) 2018-12-20 2:15

Bonjour, cher Craig,
Alors là, nous sommes dans l'ambiance à travers cette note qui fait froid dans le dos...
L'édifice déjà donne une impression inquiétante.
Sachant le déroulé des faits inexpliqués, c'est encore plus effrayant;
Très bien.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Royaldevon (86328) 2018-12-20 2:36

Hello Craig,

A very strange story, unable to be logically explained and therefore feeding our imagination deeply!
I have known strange inexplicable events, too, and they definitely linger in memory!

It is a a building that oozes, yawning neglect! It appears to have a huge, gaping mouth, calling out!
I would imagine, that as the hospital modernises, this building no longer fits the brief.
It is a pity as it is a very architecturally, lovely building. However, with stories of ghosts and hauntings circulating around it, it won't be a place many would want to spend money modernising!

Happy Christmas,
Bev :-)

notrap (7812) 2018-12-20 2:51

Hello Craig,
and are you sure, nobody wanted to play a trick on the security men? Perhaps some nurses thought, the security employees led a life, too quiet in comparison with the exhausting work nurses have to do?
But these thoughts have nothing to do with your picture.....
I think it is a pity not to renovate and use the building.....
Kind regards,
Elvira

dta (98848) 2018-12-20 4:31

Hello Craig,
it has been a splendid mansion some decades ago . May be it will be renovated one day .
Well framed in its green scenery .
Regards

Sergiom (117241) 2018-12-20 6:21

Bonjour Craig,

Cette maison semble dangereuse de l'extérieur, car on a pris la peine de mettre une clôture autour mais elle doit avoir des trésors à l'intérieur comme tous les bâtiments qui semblent hantés. Superbe cadrage.

Amicalement

Serge

Nicou (193814) 2018-12-20 8:46

Hlelo

quel ewcalier quei m^ne à cet ancine hôpital abandonnée quelle vue et iamge superbe elle va mourir gentillement si elle n'est pas rénovée dans la belle végétaiton quelle compo et rendu architectural sueprbee.
bravoe et amitié
Nicou

worldcitizen (16226) 2018-12-20 10:45

Hello Craig,
This is a bit too creepy for me! The architecture is very stately, but I can almost hear those anguished, screaming voices just by looking at your photo. There will probably be a horror movie filmed here one day!!

lousat (139906) 2018-12-20 11:53

Hi Craig,you have raison,one is enough because so curious and strange...ehehe..a very interesting post,it seems to be in a book of horror tales,and the building too is perfect for the scene. My best compliments for this very unique post,have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

Tue (93296) 2018-12-20 12:17

Hello Craig,
Oh dear, I am even scared of my own shadow, so a visit to a haunted house...?! ;-) An excellent photo of the old architecture, which probably used to look grand, when it was in a better shape. Good balance between the trees and the house and also a nice contrast, also in terms of colour.
Lars

pierrefonds (115408) 2018-12-20 17:12

Hi Craig,

The trees are framing well the house. The point of view is showing the details of the abandoned house. The light is making the colors to stand out. Have a nice day.

Pierre

ChrisJ (172372) 2018-12-20 23:48

Hi Craig,

With the spate of car attacks,shootings and stabbings recently in Melbourne & Toronto I am beginning to think it was a huge mistake for governments in Australia and Canada to cut funding to private psychiatric hospitals with many closing in the 90's and 2000's. Now only prison and public hospitals remain as options or homelessness on the streets. A good upward pov and nice warm cold color contrasts. Tfs!

BennyV (34748) 2018-12-21 2:27

Hello Craig

Abandonned but the gate below seems open like an invitation for photographers. Or is it?

Great low pov, I'd be very curious to wander around inside. The personal touch in your notes only makes the post even better still. Tops!

Benny

ktanska (45018) 2018-12-21 11:22

Hi Craig,
It must be strange to see the former workplace in such a state of abandonment. How much you like abandoned places, this time it's personal! And wonderful note proves it.
Entrance with a long staircase and thick columns is quite special.
Kari

emka (158672) 2018-12-22 23:34

Hello Craig, I think that you have shown already this old psychiatric hospital looks like from a horror movie. And what a ghost story. have you entered the building once more or you kept out? It seems the gate is open and inviting apart from the danger sign. Excellent picture and a fascinating note.

Merry Christmas!

MAlgo

jmdias (116307) 2018-12-25 10:10

craig

the façade of the building is very beautiful in terms of the shapes and style. I liked the special light , the lower angle and the colors. despite its beauty such places has a lot of spiritual charge caused by suffering, it is the same with prisons and centers of torture. even in my store, when I close up the doors and I am alone, there are some strange things occurring. OK, many can be coincidences, others, not. I guess many people have a kind of event like this to tell about, despite many people would say this is invention.
take care,

jorge

carlo62 (81265) 2018-12-27 13:53

Ciao Craig
dopo aver letto il tuo racconto, penso che una visita qui possa essere molto.....rilassante ;-)
Soprattutto se sei un Ghostbuster.
Interessante condivisione, una storia originale e più curiosa della foto.
Ottimo lavoro, come sempre.
Saluti
Carlo

mkamionka (75009) 2018-12-28 4:12

Hi Craig,
wow, you should have shared it for the Halloween instead! :)
Great personal story to accompany this beautiful photograph.
The building is pretty and it is always sad to see such a lovely architecture in ruin.
You had a lovely weather and great well saturated colors.
Nothing indicates the scary story which develops in the note:)
Great work,
Excellent contribution!
Have a happy New Year!
M

claudeD (47754) 2018-12-29 4:48

HelloCraig,

very fine contribution to TE showing here this old abandoned house in perfect sharpness and clarity. You have added here a very fine example to your series of abandoned houses. Very well done.TFS.

With regards from Luxembourg

JC