Riverview Health history

The facility was founded in 1911 by the City of Winnipeg as the Winnipeg Municipal Hospital.

In 1913 a permanent Provincial mental hospital, administered by Doctor Henry Esson Young was opened, treating about 300 seriously mentally-ill male patients.

In 1914, Harrell Hospital and Sanatorium was sold to Hamilton County and renamed Hamilton County Hospital.

In 1924, the Acute Psychopathic Unit, later called Centre Lawn, opened.

Several hospital staff lived at the remote site, and by 1927 this had grown into a small community called Essondale; including shops, a school, and Fire Hall.

In 1929, the Board of Trustees sponsored a contest to change the name of the hospital to one that better reflected the broader community it served.

In 1930, the 675-bed Female Chronic Unit (later called East Lawn) opened due to overcrowding.

In 1944, to meet the health needs of a growing population, hospital trustees purchased land west of Noblesville from Mr.

Construction of a new hospital began in 1949.

Plans turned to action when, in 1950, the Princess Elizabeth Hospital opened as the first long term care facility in Canada.

On May 12, 1951, the new hospital opened.

Shortly thereafter, in 1952, the hospital was renamed Riverview Hospital as an homage to its location along the banks of the White River.

Finally in 1955, the Tuberculosis Unit (now called North Lawn) opened, marking the peak of patient residence.

In 1957, a campaign was created to raise $1,170,000 to build a new wing.

In 1959 the charge of mental health services was transferred from the Provincial Secretary to the newly formed Department of Health Services.

The determination was first brought up officially on paper three years after the publication of the Mental Health Act of 1964 that intended to have mental health care be as readily available to the population as that of physical health.

As further closures were being planned, legislation was also passed in 1969 that deemed Riverview an “open hospital” allowing private practitioners to send their patients to Riverview.

The two acts worked in conjunction so that by 1970 there were 17 Mental Health Centres in British Columbia, 12 of which had opened within the previous four years.

In 1983, the first purpose-built day hospital was built.

In 1984, the provincial government sold 57 hectares (141 acres) of Riverview lands to Molnar Developments.

In 1985 an acute geriatric unit was opened at Riverview Hospital.

As services and beds at Riverview continuously decreased, while opening access of it through private practice, another official plan to entirely close Riverview Hospital was written in 1987: A Draft Plan to Replace Riverview Hospital.

In 1988 management of the hospital was officially transferred from the directors to a board of provincially appointed trustees.

By 1990 the decision had officially been made to reduce Riverview to a 358-bed facility with the presumed intention of opening regional care facilities throughout the province as stated in the Mental Health Initiative.

Also in 1992, the Crease Clinic closed.

The facility became known as Riverview Health Centre in 1993, when it separated from the City of Winnipeg to be incorporated as a community hospital.

Then, in 1995, construction began on a comprehensive renewal project, which entailed the demolition of the turn-of-the-century hospital buildings to make way for a new complex.

Starting in 2001, the “New View of Riverview” project became the largest and most comprehensive in the medical center’s 73-year history, enhancing both its quality of care and its patient care environment, as well as adding a variety of advanced medical technologies.

In April 2014, Riverview Hospital was officially renamed Riverview Health and continues to serve the local community as a full-service, 156-bed hospital.

In 2018, Riverview celebrated its 90th year of providing care to the community.