| Location | 390 King St W, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada |
|---|---|
| Status | Closed |
| Security class | Juvenile (secure custody) |
| Capacity | 16 (reported capacity in 2019–20) |
| Opened | 1930s (as a training school); 1948 (boys' training school) |
| Closed | 13 February 2021 |
| Managed by | Government of Ontario (Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services) |
| City | Cobourg |
| Country | canada |
Brookside Youth Centre was a provincial secure juvenile detention centre in Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. It operated on a multi-building campus and was a component of Ontario's youth custody system until its closure in February 2021. [1]
The site at 390 King Street W has housed institutional facilities since the mid-20th century; the property includes the historic Strathmore House, which later served as Brookside's administration building. [2] The institution began as a training school for girls in the 1930s, was converted to a training school for boys in 1948, and later functioned as a secure custody/detention centre for male youth. [3] [4]
By 2019–20 Brookside was a small, secure facility with a reported operational budget of roughly C$9–10 million and a stated capacity of about 16 beds; at the time of its closure it held very few youth. [1] The site comprised multiple buildings on a large property and was managed by the provincial ministry responsible for children, community and social services. [5]
Survivors and news reporting have alleged widespread physical, sexual and psychological abuse at Brookside and at related Ontario "training schools." [6] Those accounts include allegations of sexual assault and other criminal conduct by staff reported by former residents and referenced in litigation. [7]
A province-wide class action and numerous individual lawsuits have asserted that Ontario training schools, including Brookside, exposed youth to systemic abuse and negligence; these claims seek damages for physical, sexual and psychological injuries. [8] [9]
Reporting and survivor testimony indicate the harms described were long-standing, and that some former residents faced barriers to redress, including difficulties with records and timelines; legal proceedings and advocacy groups have sought compensation and public acknowledgement of harms. [6] [10]
Reliable sources documenting abuse at Brookside consist primarily of survivor testimony, investigative reporting and civil-law pleadings. [6] The Second Fresh Amended Statement of Claim filed in Ontario Superior Court sets out allegations that residents at Brookside and other provincial training schools were subjected to sexual assaults, physical violence and other abusive conduct by staff, and it provides examples in support of systemic claims for damages. [7] Longform news reporting includes detailed survivor accounts that describe sexual assaults occurring in the institutions; such reporting is used in the civil litigation and in public discussion of historical harms. [11]
The Government of Ontario announced Brookside's closure in February 2021, citing low occupancy and high operating costs; the closure resulted in layoffs of staff. [1] The property was later listed for sale by Infrastructure Ontario and was reported as sold to a private developer in late 2024. [12] Since closure the site has been the focus of local discussion regarding reuse, encampments and demolition planning. [13]