Crease Clinic

Crease Clinic of Psychological Medicine, opening 1949

2011-06-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver sun, November 8, 1949

Crease Clinic to open November 16

Centre for Psychological Medicine newest venture at Essondale.

Victoria, Nov.,8.----British Columbia will launch its newest venture in treating mentally-ill people with the official opening of the Crease Clinic of Psychological Medicine at Essondale, November 16.
The $1,750,000 institution, nearly two years in the building, will be officially turned over to the government at special ceremonies. Purpose behind the new clinic is to treat people with mental ailments in similar fashion to those suffering from physical troubles. It is not a mental hospital in the ordinary sense of the word. Operated by special act of the Legislature, it will be used to treat people who are sent by doctors to be given special care for mental and nervous disorders.

4-month limit

They cannot remain more than four months, if not cured in that time, they must be sent to the regular mental home. An announcement by R.A. Pennington, deputy provincial secretary today said: “It is anticipated the clinic will be a great stimulus in this particular branch of medicine and will greatly enhance the teaching facilities of the medical faculty of the UBC."
Mr. Pennington, who will be chairman at the opening, said Premier Johnson will attend, and Health and Welfare Minister George Pearson will formally accept the keys to the new building from Jack Boyd, president of General Construction Company. He will turn them over to Dr. A.L. Crease, director of mental hygiene and psychiatry for the province, after whom the clinic is named. Dr. Crease has directed the mental health service for B.C. for the last 25 years.

Modern Design

The structure is of modern design. It has complete facilities for all specialties in the field of general medicine and surgery, including a department of diagnostic and therapeutic radiology, a department of physical medicine and clinical laboratories. It has a surgical suite for general surgery and brain surgery. As part of the new outlook, the wards are decorated in pastel shades. Beds and night furnishings are in pale green and day furnishings in maple, with an empire loyalist design. A solarium opens off the day space on each ward, and has chrome furniture. Mr. Pennington said the public is invited to the opening on November 16 at 2:30 p.m. An inspection of the building will take place.

Newspaper ad, November 1950

Veterans Unit opening 1931

2011-06-01T03:09:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Sun, May 28, 1931

New Hospital for veterans

Premier opens modern Essondale unit.

New Westminster, May 28.----
Tangible evidence of the prestige of the Canadian Legion, and the sympathetic attitude of the public toward disabled war veterans, is revealed in the new Veteran's Unit of the Essondale Mental Hospital which was officially opened by Premier S.F. Tolmie Wednesday afternoon.
The opening of this building, stated to be the only one of its kind in the Dominion, coincided with the annual convention of the B.C. Provincial Command of the Legion. Members of the legion inspected the building costing $625,000, which will accommodate 150 of their less fortunate comrades whose mentality is affected due to war services.
Col. William Wasbrough Foster,( 1 ),( 2 ) of Pacific Engineers, general contractors for the new unit, stated the building was rated by the Dominion Mental Hygiene survey board as the most modern of its kind.
Premier Tolmie gave credit to the Canadian Legion for starting the agitation to provide special treatment for war veterans.
New features introduced including the cafeteria system which permits the inmates to select diet to their own liking, was commended upon by the Premier.
The unemployment problem would be alleviated if home products were used in other construction work in the same degree as in this building, Dr. Tolmie said. He understood that 75 per cent of the materials were produced in B.C.; 15 per cent came from eastern Canada and the Empire, and 10 per cent from the United States.
Other speakers were Hon. Ralph Bruhn, Minister of Public Works; Hon. Nels Lougheed, Minister of Lands; P. Philips, Deputy Minister of Public Works, H. Whittaker, chief government architect. A pleasing feature of the ceremonies was the presentation of diplomas to members of the nursing staff by Mrs. Lougheed, wife of the Public Works Minister.

The graduates are: Miss M. Wright, Miss Hazel Lipsey, Miss Mary Gould, Miss Berthe Dunham, Miss Mary Brice, Miss Ellen Dudgeon, Miss Ethel Poland, Miss Dorothy Broadman, Miss Dorothy Davy, Miss Doretta Mathieu. Music was supplied by the Boys' Industrial School Band.

[ In 1949 an addition to this building was opened, and the building was renamed the “Crease Clinic of Psychological Medicine” ]

Picture from the Hospital annual reports

Note: Six tenders were submitted, and Pacific Engineers, Limited was the lowest.

Colonel William Wasbrough Foster, chief of Police. ca,1935. This fellow wore many hats !

Besides being the winning bidder on building the Veterans Unit and Dining Block.

Crease buildings

2007-09-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

Text from Donald Luxton's report.

CREASE UNIT (B21618)
Henry Whittaker, Supervising Architect Public Works Department 1930-1934, Additions in 1949
Plans were prepared for the first wing of the Veterans Unit, in 1929, to be used for veterans of the First World War, mainly shell-shock victims. Construction was delayed due to the Depression, and took from 1930 to 1934. Although designed shortly after the East Lawn building, and built at roughly the same time, an entirely different architectural vocabulary was adopted, to distinguish the veterans from the mental patients. Unlike the other buildings on the site, it also presents a prominent face to the outside world, and forms a gateway to Riverview.
The original building was more than doubled in size with the construction of a matching east wing. The plans had originally been prepared in 1944, and revised in 1945, but construction was delayed by wartime building material shortages. The two wings were joined with a new central, arcaded entry which is the architectural highlight of the building today.

On November 16, 1949 the Crease Clinic of Psychological Medicine was opened here. This clinic was conceived as a way of providing psychiatric treatment for mental patients; the idea that mental and physical illnesses could nave the same cause was relatively new at the time. Patients were certified here rather than committed, and the maximum stay was four months. The clinic was designed to care for the earlier, and more hopeful cases, of mental illness.
The structure is reinforced concrete, and in random-coloured rug brick, terra cotta blocks, and precast artificial stone. Projecting decorative balconies feature intricate wrought iron railings. The main central staircase boasts a large Palladian window. The use of symmetrical design, the horizontally banded base, the regular arched windows, the wide overhanging eaves, and the articulation of the facade materials reflect an Italianate influence unusual in British Columbia architecture.
Heritage Analysis
This building defines one side of the Lawn area, and also marks the edge of the Riverview site. It is the most prominent building facing Lougheed Highway. Its most distinctive characteristics are the monumental, symmetrical massing, the central Italianate-influenced entry with double-staircase, the broad, low hip roof forms, and the all-masonry construction.
The front facade is the most prominent landmark of the site. The rear facade marks the edge of the Central Lawn area. The most important heritage elements of the building that should be retained are:

1) The original elements of the front, side and rear facades
2) The roof form, as visible from the Central Lawn area
3) The entry portico and double-staircase

The elements that are less critical for retention are: The steel sash windows

Architectural Description:
The Crease Unit is a three storey reinforced concrete structure with a ground level basement. The roof is hip, and the roof cover is duroid. Although built in two stages, the detailing of both parts is identical, and the join is invisible. The central entry has a double staircase with precast balusters. A broad projecting pantile roof extends over the entry. Large arched windows highlight the top floor. The concrete base has been articulated with horizontal banding. The walls have been clad with random variegated rug brick, ranging in colour from tan to deep red. Terra cotta block cladding has been used at the top of the walls, and is pinkish-orange in colour. The window trim, and decorative wall trim, is of “artificial stone” (precast concrete). The windows are steel sash. Projecting decorative balconies feature intricate wrought iron railings. The main central staircase has a large Palladian window at the rear.
Alterations: Some of the steel sash windows have been replaced with aluminum sash. Two projecting stair towers have been added on the front facade.
Condition: The building is now vacant. General disrepair is evident. There is some deterioration evident in the concrete surfaces at the entry arcade. There are no visible signs of structural damage or failure.

CREASE DINING BLOCK (B21626)
Henry Whittaker, Supervising Architect Public Works Department 1930-1934
Located directly behind the main building, this smaller free-standing pavilion was built as the "Veterans’ Unit Dining Block”. It is the companion building to the main block, and is faced in the same palette of materials. The design is simple but elegant, with a central ground level entry, which leads to the dining hall on the second floor. A decorative balcony, with a wrought iron railing, is featured above the entry. It is connected to the main building by an underground passage.
As an integral part of the design of the Veteran's Unit, this dining pavilion equal in heritage significance to the main block.

Heritage Analysis:
As an integral part of the design of the Veteran's Unit, this free-standing pavilion is equal in significance to the main block.
As a free-standing building, the facades have been composed to be seen from all sides. Its most distinctive characteristics are the symmetrical massing, the central entry, the broad, low hip roof forms, and the all-masonry construction.
The most critical heritage elements of the building that should be retained are:

1) The original elements of the front, side and rear facades
2) The roof form, as visible from the Central Lawn area
3) The double-hung wooden-sash windows

Architectural Description:
The building is a free-standing pavilion, two storeys high, symmetrically massed, with a central entry. A decorative balcony, with a wrought iron railing, is featured above the entry. The entry is at ground level, and an internal staircase leads to the dining area on the upper floor. The concrete base is articulated with horizontal banding, and the brick walls match the main building. The trim is “artificial stone” (precast concrete), that matches the main building in detail. The windows are double-hung wooden sash, multi-paned 9/9 on the ground floor, and 1/1 on the upper level.
Alterations: A concrete block addition has been added at the rear.
Condition: Was in use as a cafeteria.(now closed 2006) There is some general repair and maintenance required. There are no visible signs of structural damage or failure.