Don Jail Governor’s House and Gatehouse

GBCA, in association with Hilditch Architect, transformed two buildings on the former Don Jail property into a Children’s Residential Hospice and associated office space for the Philip Aziz Centre, a non-profit, home hospice program. The project included restoration of both the Governor’s House and the Gatehouse, along with a new, modern addition to the rear of the Governor’s House. By adding a modern extension on the rear, the design preserves the key heritage features of the building, while allowing the facility to meet all the requirements for modern health care. This work was undertaken concurrently with the redevelopment of the entire Don Jail site by Bridgepoint Health.

The Outcome

The former Don Jail complex is of provincial heritage significance as one of the largest mid-nineteenth century reform prisons in North America. The Gate House was built in conjunction with the Jail, which was begun in 1859 and completed in 1864. The Governor’s House was added to the Jail precinct in 1888.

Along with designing the addition, GBCA also prepared the necessary heritage assessments for municipal and provincial approvals. Restoration work included brick cleaning and repointing, and the repair and replacement of woodwork, including the original front porch. As the transformation of these buildings was undertaken by a non-profit organization, an important consideration was working within a limited budget.