Riverview Hospital Grounds: Access?

We happened to be at the Vet yesterday and there was a book there dated back to the mid 90's which mentioned that Riverview was a great place to take your dog for a walk (maybe somewhat less great if you were in the hospital in the preceding years….).

There seems to be pretty well zero information on-line as to whether the public have access to the grounds any more. Anyone know?

:lol: watch out for Michael Myers

I don't know if people can just explore the grounds but I saw a city bus drive by when I was doing some maintenance work out there last summer.

There are lots of cool old specimen trees and little roads going all over the place. It would be interesting to spend an afternoon looking around.

I sometimes did service at riverview you could drive anywhere even go into buildings and run into harmless drooling people if you took the wrong door, if someone was on the loose who shouldn't be it was broadcast on P.A. I would just cruise around and walk the dog

the colony farm across the highway where they put the folks who were crazy enough to kill someone but smart enough to stay out of the pen is where you wana be more careful but they keep the criminaly insane locked up staff were pretty careful, they would lock me in the elevator send it up and somebody takes me out

We happened to be at the Vet yesterday and there was a book there dated back to the mid 90's which mentioned that Riverview was a great place to take your dog for a walk (maybe somewhat less great if you were in the hospital in the preceding years….).

There seems to be pretty well zero information on-line as to whether the public have access to the grounds any more. Anyone know?

I used to work on the Riverview grounds until last year and Dog walking is welcome. The site does close to the public at 9pm (hours may have changed) but you are free to explore the grounds with pets before then.

Be aware that there is 24 hour security with cars that drive around the site and most buildings are alarmed. So don't try exploring too deeply.

Also, photography is not allowed on site due to patient privacy rights.

so, how many people are still at riverview? what capacity is that facility at? has a new mental institution ever been brought up again?

has a new mental institution ever been brought up again?

yeah its called the downtown east side

Thanks peeps. We took a risk and just went there as by the time I left, not all the posts were up there. It's a humbling area for sure. It's so massive!
Weird that photography allegedly isn't allowed. I saw no notices so took a load. None of any people, and to the best of my knowledge, the place closed down in 2012. There were a few people outside some cottages that looked like they might not have been 100% 'with it', but we just smiled and went on our way.

A few snaps.

even go into buildings and run into harmless drooling people if you took the wrong door,

You're lucky one of those "wrong doors" didn't get you lobotomized.

yeah its called the downtown east side

Good one.