Survivors applaud decision to demolish former Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia

The Ontario government plans to demolish parts of the former Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia amid a legacy of abuse.

For many survivors, the former Huronia Regional Centre (HRC) is a place filled with haunting memories of institutional abuse, and now, decades later, the province’s decision to tear down parts of the site is bringing long-awaited closure to some who once lived there.

“It’s about time,” said Betty Ann Rose Bond, who was placed in children’s aid care at age six and spent five years at the facility. “It’s an eyesore to the City of Orillia and also to us survivors.”

Bond says her time at HRC was marked by trauma. The facility housed people with developmental disabilities until it closed in 2009. Bond says she remembers “too much” about her time at HRC, adding she recalls primarily “lots of abuse from staff.”

A group of former residents launched a class action lawsuit against the Ontario government, alleging systematic abuse at the institution. The province settled the lawsuit in 2013 for $35 million. The allegations were never tested in court.

The property is currently owned by the Ontario government and has 49 buildings and 11 tunnels. The OPP is the main tenant of the site, which has been used primarily for training purposes over the past two decades.

The OPP says it is consulting with members of ‘Remember Every Name’ before deciding how the site should be used going forward.

“To be respectful and to honour the people that survived that experience it’s important that they have input on the future use of the lands and buildings there because that was considered their home,” said Debbie Vernon of ‘Remember Every Name,’ a group dedicated to preserving the memory of those who lived at HRC.

The group is calling for a museum or permanent memorial to be built on the property to recognize the lives and stories of former residents.

Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac supports the demolition and believes the site holds potential for new uses. “It’s a dark era and I think we just need to move forward. Taking the buildings down I think will help. I know the former residents are excited about seeing the buildings come down so that’s a good step.”

Bond agrees. “It’s a bit of closure for us in a good way. You’re not going to erase our memories, they’re there, and it’s a permanent thing, but we need to move on too.”

Police and survivors are expected to meet later this month to discuss next steps for the site’s future.