From June, 1835 to Sept. 2013, the Kingston pen was home to many notorious criminals. In 1990, the Government of Canada designated the penitentiary as a national historic site. Although it is expected that efforts will be made to preserve those buildings which formed part of the original construction, the cost associated to maintain this large property suggests the government may look to some type of partnership with a commercial developer. For now, and without knowing what the long-term preservation plans may be, planning the for the tours will continue on a year-to-year basis. If a tour is on your bucket list, you may want to get that in next year as tours for this year end Oct. 29th.
Shortly after the prison closed, it was opened for public tours and the demand for tickets has been growing with each year, with this year expected to surpass 150,000. The premium tour, approx.. 2.5 hours, provides a more comprehensive insight into life at the prison with only 10-12 people as compared to 30+ people in the shorter tour. Proceeds from the sale of tickets are directed to the United Way Campaign.
While the two internet sites noted below the photo provide considerably more information, here is one observation of interest. The cell in the photo is not quite 5 feet wide. As can be seen, the sleeping area is above a desk and the sink/toilet is at the wall end of the cell next to a small shelving unit for personal items. When initially built, that cell was divided into two separate cells, each about 29 inches (74 cm’s) in width. Just picture this cell divided in two.
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