Robert Gowans

Review of Badshaw Family Services

In June 2016 I visited Batshaw with a view to seei...

In June 2016 I visited Batshaw with a view to seeing the "farm) for the last time for sentimental reasons (I was at the Boy's farm and training school in 1961). I attributed my stay there to teaching me the value of freedom and a benign form of incarceration that steered me from a life of juvenile crime to follow a straight and narrow path which kept me out of prison and led to prison sentences for most of my friends who were not caught committing crimes like I was.
Very unfortunately I was not allowed to venture past the barrier to the parade grounds for a short visit. Not even if I were to remain in my rental car for a short circuit around the grounds. I could not understand this position as when it was the Boy's farm visits were common from boys who were there in the past. I am 69 years old now and very disappointed that I could not visit. It appears that the institution is now a locked down prison. I am quite sad that I could not relive the friendships that I had there in the past from my recollections and have a short visit. I can understand security but I came from Vancouver and did not know any of the inmates there. So congratulations BATSHAW you killed a boyhood memory for me and one less bucket list for me to experience before I die. This is what happens when you have inflexible regulations imposed by bureaucrats.