The City of New Westminster is unveiling a piece of its “hidden history” this week.
Community members are invited to attend a ceremony commemorating the unveiling of the newly restored BC Penitentiary Cemetery on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. It’s taking place outside the cemetery grounds, which are located near 245 Francis Way.
“The BC Penitentiary Cemetery is a bit of hidden history in New Westminster,” said Coun. Jaimie McEvoy, chair of the BC Penitentiary Cemetery task force. “We want to acknowledge the past, educate, and inform future generations of those buried here and fulfill our municipal responsibility of maintaining our cemeteries.”
For the past two years, the city’s task force has been working to uncover the history hidden on this site that has remained inaccessible for several years as result of construction in the Victoria Hill site. With construction completed and a new public path installed to access the cemetery, the city created a task force to oversee the physical restoration of the cemetery.
In addition to identifying the locations of many unmarked graves, the project included removing, hand cleaning, and reinstalling headstones.
The BC Penitentiary, which was a federal prison that operated in New Westminster from 1878 to 1980, is located in the Glenbrook Ravine parklands.
According to a press release from the city, the cemetery was established in 1913 for burials of inmates who were not claimed by family or friends. Burials continued here until 1968.
At the unveiling event, guests will be able tour the restored cemetery, discuss the history of the site with McEvoy and city staff and view the newly installed interpretive signage.
The New Westminster Heritage Preservation Society included the cemetery at the former B.C. Penitentiary on its list of the Top 10 endangered sites in the city in 2007. McEvoy, who was a heritage researcher and director with the heritage preservation society at the time, compiled the list.
The path to access the cemetery begins 135 metres south of the intersection of Memorial Drive and Francis Way, which is behind the Parkside tower in the Victoria Hill neighbourhood. To RSVP, go to Eventbrite.ca (search for BC Penitentiary cemetery)
