The Reformatory Parklands In Guelph Circa 1940

This film was taken in the 1940’s by an uncle of John Valeriote whose maternal grandfather,Edwin E. Hammond was the Stationary Engineer who oversaw the installation and maintenance of the heating and plumbing system in The Reformatory, from it beginning. Edwin (Ted), his wife Emma and their family lived on the site from 1911 until the late 1930’s in a large stone house at the end of a laneway off Victoria Rd.,as shown in the film. John’s mother, Velma was born in 1910, one year before The Reformatory opened and died in 2001, the year it closed. The inmates,as part of the Reformatory rehabilitation program were required to build and maintain the stream, waterfalls, lake and the extensive gardens along York Rd. Their work also included the lawns and gardens around the Hammond residence. Emma Hammond was a generous women and would bake pies ,cakes and cookies and leave them on the outside window sills for the inmates to take back to their cells. She called them “her boys” and they appreciated her kindness.

The gardens,stream and lake were the result for the inmates' productive work based on the founding principles of “The Reformatory “