Exploring the Old Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital

The former site of the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) was part of the town’s overall South Central Public Lands Study (SCPLS) which reviewed a number of key sites owned by the town in south central Oakville (e.g. surplus school sites, Oakville Arena) and made recommendations about their future use, including recreation uses.

The former site consists of lands on the south side of Macdonald Road between Reynolds Street and Allan Street. The property includes the existing hospital building and the Wyndham Manor Long Term Care Centre.

Tensions were high in this explore of a (somewhat) recently closed hospital in Southern Ontario.

I had no Intel on this one other than I knew that a few people had been inside in the past and some of them caught and ticketed.

I spent a good deal of time scouting the location and tracking the activities of the security company charged with watching the facility.

Figuring a daytime approach was not the smartest idea I waited till it was darker. Access was surprisingly easy but being inside was pretty stressful.

I enjoyed photographing for a few hours, seeing the morgue, autopsy room with stainless steel autopsy table, maternity ward and more.

The hospital was open for over 50 years but the need for a larger and more modern facility is what caused it to shut down. Siting empty and vacant and mostly unused (except for a few small uses for movie filming), the facility still has power and running water. There is an overall plan for eventual demolition and re-use for the land.

It was great to get the chance to explore and photograph this place before the power is cut and the walls start coming down.