Built in 1910, the Guelph Correctional Centre once stood as a model of early 20th-century reformist architecture, self-sufficient, remote, and orderly. Inmates were subjected to forced labor in a nearby quarry whose infrastructure has long since vanished. For decades, stonecutting, farming, and industrial work defined daily life behind its walls.
On July 7, 1952, the prison erupted in one of Ontario’s most violent riots. Overcrowding, poor living conditions, and mistreatment fueled the outbreak, which left several inmates and guards seriously injured and caused extensive damage to the facility. No one was killed, but the event marked a turning point in the history of Canadian corrections.
After nearly a century of operation, the prison was decommissioned in 2002, leaving behind acres of empty halls, decaying outbuildings, and nature reclaiming the grounds. Today, the sprawling site, complete with man-made lakes, wooded trails, and local wildlife, sits empty, besides the occasional ghost tour and dog walkers.
