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Honouring Lakeshore Psychiatric Cemetery – 2005

At the Summer Institute in 2005, we recalled that Humber College campus had once been the Lakeshore Psychiatric Institution. Like many institutions, there were many deaths – too often forgotten. In this case, the Institution cemetery (about a mile north) was about to be sold!. We decided to protest and many of us gathered an honoured the past inmates. It is estimated that there are 1500+ graves – with only a tiny percentage marked with numbered markers.. Randy Charboneau drummed and chanted. Te Ripowai Higgins (NZ Maori) sang a tribute song. We honoured those past citizens. Our banner was immediately removed by the city, BUT, they also canceled the sale, fenced the cemetery properly – and now – the grass is trimmed and it looks like a place that is honouring the complexity of its history.

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