In the News
October 2, 2013
Day 1 of KP Tours
Canada’s most notorious prison has exchanged its inmates for tourists.
The Kingston Penitentiary farewell tour starts today.
The prison shut its doors on Monday… and guided tours will take place for the next three weeks.
Ticket holders are getting a glimpse into life behind the pen’s historic walls… where some of Canada’s most dangerous criminals were held.
Thea Young
“I’m excited. I can’t wait to see inside. I’ve heard some stories.”
This artist and salesman has been outside of the notorious institution all day, drawing KP caricatures and selling t-shirts.
Dino
“I’ve been here all morning and the people who have been coming out have just been absolutely amazing and just bewildered about their experience beyond the walls.”
Tracey Murphy
“It was awesome! Especially to see the cells..seeing how the prisoners lived their lives.”
“I mean the stories that they tell about the people that have lived here, it’s amazing really. I can’t believe it! I’ve read lots about KP but going through it is a completely different story.”
Visitors were allowed to bring their cameras to snap pictures of the cells and other areas inside the prison.
This visitor was amazed by some of the wall markings and other images left behind by the inmates.
Kim Taylor
“Definitely going into the area where the prisoners would have been secluded, there’s still some personal things like drawings on the walls, a poster here and there, books, markings. It was really neat to see.”
Jamie Patterson
“The event was sold out within a few days. Over 9,000 tickets were purchased for $20 a piece with all proceeds going to the United way.”
Bhavana Varna
“Corrections Canada is a strong partner with the United way so when this opportunity came up for the 3 weeks, we were thrilled to be a part of this. The volunteers and staff have been amazing.”
It’s estimated the ticket sales have raised over 155,000 dollars for the United Way campaign.
The exclusive 90-minute tours are running until October 20th.
Visit the CKWS website to view the footage for this story.
Source: Jamie Patterson, CKWS Newswatch, Kingston.
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