FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1978
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FINAL CHAPTER OF CHATHAM ROAD CENTRE CLOSES
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THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT'S CHATHAM ROAD CENTRE FOR YOUNG INMATES CLOSED TODAY (FRIDAY), ENDING THE FINAL CHAPTER IN ITS 28 YEARS VARIED HISTORY.
AT A CEREMONY OUTSIDE THE MAIN GATE OF THE CENTRE THIS MORNING, MR. GARTH HYDES, THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT, HANDED OVER THE KEYS OF THE CENTRE TO MR. LARRY TAM, CHIEF ESTATÉ SURVEYOR (URBAN) OF THE CROWN LANDS BRANCH.
THE LAST SUPER INTENDENT OF THE CENTRE, MR. JIMMY GRANT, WHO IS NOW IN CHARGE OF THE NEW LAI KING TRAINING CENTRE FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS, WAS ALSO PRESENT AT THE CEREMONY.
A PRISONS DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: THE CHATHAM ROAD CENTRE, EE ING REASONABLY EASY TO CONTROL, HAS SERVED THE DEPARTMENT VERY WELL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT MODERNISATION AND IMPROVED NEW METHODS NOW ALLOW US TO RELEASE THIS OUT-DATED INSTITUTION.+
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO STREAMLINE ITS PENAL FACILITIES WITH THE COMPLETION OF NEW AND MODERN PRISON INSTITUTIONS.
THE CHATHAM ROAD CENTRE, BUILT IN THE EARLY 1950'S, WAS DESIGNATED AS THE CHATHAM ROAD COMPOUND IN 1951 AND WAS USED BY THE POLICE AS A TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION FOR PEOPLE AWAITING DEPORTATION, UNTIL 1961.
BETWEEN THEN AND 1967, THE COMPOUND WAS USED BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS A STAFF TRAINING CENTRE, AS AN EMERGENCY RELIEF STORE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, AND LATER AS A POLICE DISTRICT TRAINING SCHOOL.
DURING THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT USED PART OF THE COMPOUND AS A CHOLERA ISOLATING CENTRE.
THE COMPOUND REMAINED EMPTY UNTIL 1971, WHEN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BEGAN RENOVATION WORK ON IT.
THE COMPOUND WAS THEN TAKEN OVER BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT AND RENAMED THE CHATHAM ROAD CENTRE IN 1973 WHEN THE DEPARTMENT'S
INSTITUTIONS WERE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS OF OVER-CROWDING.
SINCE THEN, THE CENTRE HAS HOUSED ADULT AND GERIATRIC PRISONERS FOR A WHILE AND MORE RECENTLY, YOUNG CONVICTED PERSONS AND REMANDS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE. MORE THAN 30,000 INMATES HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE CENTRE DURING THE FIVE YEARS OF USE BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.
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