Don Jail Governor’s House and Gatehouse

GBCA, in association with Hilditch Architect, transformed twobuildings on the former Don Jail property into a Children’sResidential Hospice and associated office space for the PhilipAziz Centre, a non-profit, home hospice program. The projectincluded restoration of both the Governor’s House and theGatehouse, along with a new, modern addition to the rear ofthe Governor’s House. By adding a modern extension on therear, the design preserves the key heritage features of thebuilding, while allowing the facility to meet all therequirements for modern health care. This work wasundertaken concurrently with the redevelopment of the entireDon Jail site by Bridgepoint Health.

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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.

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