“2 More Camps To House Men In Reformatory,” The Globe and Mail. July 6, 1964. Page 05. --- By ALBERT WARSON --- The Department of Reform Institutions intends to set up its fifth and sixth forestry camps in Dufferin County and the Parry Sound district before Autumn.
Deputy Minister J. A. Graham said in an interview during the weekend that two sites, sprawled over thousands of square miles of dense woods, have been scouted.
When the time comes, two parties, each of 40 to 50 inmates from Mimico and Burwash reformatories, will be trucked into the two locations with materials to build their winterized quarters.
In the tradition of these camps, the two new ones will be year-round, minimum-security projects - no gates, cells or bars - just a handful of custodial and Lands and Forests supervisors.
There is enough work pruning trees and generally maintaining these county and Crown-owned forests for the next 20 years at least, Mr. Graham said.
The department is broadening its forestry-camp program chiefly because it provides a healthier, freer, outdoor environment more conducive to rehabilitation for certain offenders than jail cells he said.
Mr. graham said the camp kitchens feed these men plentiful and wholesome food when they return from work in late afternoon. A truck goes in once a week with provisions and inmates coming in or going out.
The camps cost less than $25,000 to establish, he continued, compared with the $12,000-a-cell cost of typical institutions.
The first was opened in 1956; the last was built and populated by training - school boys near Bowmanville in April, 1963.
