Souris Valley Mental Health Hospital

On December 29th, 1921 the Saskatchewan Hospital opened its doors in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. In its beginnings, patients were treated through occupational therapy – healing through work. It housed around 600 patients initially. Later, in the 1940s over 2,500 people were cared for in the facility. During this period, more controversial methods were employed to treat patients. This included electroshock therapy, lobotomies, and drug therapy (most notably LSD). Changes in legislation and attitudes impacted the hospital’s function and population. During the 1960s patients from the mental hospital were transferred into new psychiatric wards within public hospitals. The 1968 hospital census lists 386 patients. In 1971, the psychiatric hospital was phased into a nursing home and geriatric care centre. The centre closed entirely in 2004, when it was replaced with a new extended care home built just south of it.

The building was just too expansive and outdated for any government or business to maintain. The city decided to have the hospital demolished. The building met its demise in the spring of 2009. Here are some pictures I took to document the hospital before it faced the wrecking ball. These were taken in July of 2008:

Front Entrance