There is a building on the old Woodlands site—today’s pish-posh Victoria Hill—that may soon be partially preserved, despite the fact there are so many reasons it should be flattened and its component parts scattered to the far corners of the globe.

New West city council will soon debate the future of the Centre Block tower, the only portion of a larger structure that survived a devastating fire last July.

Woodlands, of course, is notable as B.C.’s first “insane asylum.” It was open for more than 100 years, closing finally in 1996, and certainly was home to some disturbed individuals over the years. But it was also open during a time when the definition of “disturbed” was incredibly broad, enough to include many people that today are fully functioning, participating members of society.

And as was common in similar institutions throughout Canada where the people there were considered somehow inferior—think residential schools—significant, institutionalized abuse occurred.

So it’s no wonder that the former residents of the place, and their families, have strong feelings about the site today.

They’ve made it clear to the city that they want the Centre Block tower gone. Groups representing them have said as much.

The Community Living Society and the BC Association for Community Living, according to a city staff report, have said they want it demolished.

In fact, according to a paper released in 2003 by the BC Self Advocacy Foundation, former residents and their families would also like to be there to watch it bust into smithereens.

The Centre Block tower in particular evokes painful memories, and they say the memorial garden at the top end of the Victoria Hill project is “a suitable memorial and that no further memorializing is necessary,” according to the staff report.

I agree.

The key in memorializing a place such as Woodlands is to find a way to effectively educate future generations, so that the terrible wrongs committed there cannot be repeated.

The memorial garden achieves this goal. It’s a powerful place.

It features many of the former gravestones—which at one time were misplaced, used for a patio on the Woodlands site, or in a retaining wall on the Glenbrook Ravine. There are also inscriptions of thousands of names of people who never got a gravestone.

And at one end of the garden is a piece of public art called “A window too high,” a powerful reminder of the windows in the Centre Block that would not allow residents to enjoy the view of the world beyond.

It’s tough to visit this place with an open heart and not be moved.

So why is the city staff report recommending the tower be preserved?

In the staff report the emphasis is being placed upon the wishes of the heritage advocates.

The report states the “...heritage community is saddened by the loss of an important historic building and wishes to see the Tower preserved...” It goes on to point out that the building, constructed between 1875 and 1878, was designed by notable New West architect G.W. Grant and was the “first Insane Asylum in B.C.”

There’s no denying it’s an interesting piece of architecture, and that sometimes, historic buildings with tragic memories attached should be preserved.

But we’re not talking about putting in a museum here. Nor are we talking about re-building after a bombing (think the World Trade Center or much of Hiroshima) to show the resilience of a people.

If preserved, the tower would become part of a larger residential building. The city would like a retail component.

Bizarre.

Heritage is important. But it shouldn’t be too tough to see the right path here.

The former residents of Woodlands’ needs should prevail.

There was a time when they had no voice. The city should be listening attentively today.

editor@newwestnewsleader.com