2 May 2009

Open Day At The Former Belconnen Remand Centre

| OzChick
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A special Open Day will be held at the former Belconnen Remand Centre from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday 9 May 2009. The facility has been decommissioned following the recent movement of prisoners to the ACT’s new prison, the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

Corrections officers will be on hand to answer questions and to guide people through the facility.

Bookings are not required. Visitors should enter from the Rae Street side of the Belconnen Remand Centre. Limited parking is available at the Belconnen Remand Centre or on Rae Street. Parking is, however, available off Josephson Street adjacent to the Bus Depot or off Lathlain Street adjacent to the Belconnen Mall and office buildings.

For further information, please contact Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.

Authorised by James Ryan, Executive Director, ACT Corrective Services

UPDATE: There’s also a media release from John Hargreaves on this.

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Thoroughly interesting. Pity it’s about to be demolished. We need the accommodation, even if it’s not good for anything flashier than a half way house.

The tour should be good
“This is where we watched tv instead of checking at risk prisoners”
“Here’s the fibro wall leading to a non secure area that high security prisoners can kick their way through and escape”
“This is the office where certain senior employees received kickbacks from contractors”
“Here’s where we kept falsified documents for use in official inquiries”

Reminds me of when I went to a concert in the grounds of the old Boggo Rd prison in Brisbane. Was checking out the cells when I oveheard the guy in front of me going ’21, 22, 23, 24 – hey Johno this is it, this is where I stayed!’

I’ll go – thinking I should write to MPs to suggest it be converted into bedsitters for single folk that are sick to death of subletting and simply want affordable small rental units. People like me.

I’ve visted an inmate there a few times. Don’t think I’d bother with the “guided tour”. It’s not like it’s Alcatraz or anything.

Meh, been there done that, didn’t have to book then either.

In fact, they kinda insisted 😀

I went to an open day at the morgue in Kingston a few years ago and it was fascinating. I have a lot going on in my life at the moment but will definitely make time to see the remand centre.

barking toad said :

Why on earth should staff be paid to give a guided tour of a closed remand centre? What is the cost/benefit?

I think it is a waste of money too. Plenty of cost. Benefit only to those that get a thrill out of visiting remand centres.

Yes, this is innovative thinking. If the open day generates enough interest Hargreaves will probably turn the shit box into a permanent museum like Fannie Bay Jail in Darwin.

amarooresident24:35 pm 01 May 09

I think it’s a great idea. People love this sort of stuff and gives a rare behind the scenes look at where your tax ends up.

And it is a nasty little hole, I’ve been there (for work purposes not as a guest).

Not much to see. Ive been in there a few times for work. I was often amused by the “rent-a-cop” female staff throwing around very unladylike cuss words. I suspect that some literally have very big cojones. I also visit the cushy new Alexander Maconochie Centre.

barking toad4:04 pm 01 May 09

Why on earth should staff be paid to give a guided tour of a closed remand centre? What is the cost/benefit?

Is it just more spin to show the nasty old remand center compared to the brand spanking new you beaut human rights motel?

Hmmm, I wonder how hard it would be to get permission to shoot a film in there… Yeah, I know, I have a one-track mind 😛

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