British Columbia is a province known for its natural beauty and thriving western seaport. Ghosts are often the farthest thing from the minds of visitors, and locals are usually only haunted by poor drinking decisions and the current state of the housing market.
However, for those brave enough to venture past the safety of the city lights there are some pretty creepy places to explore. Below is a list of six creepy abandoned places you can visit in British Columbia.
Riverview Hospital - Coquitlam, BC
The West Lawn building of the Riverview Psychiatric Hospital has sat abandoned since 1983 when it was closed due to funding cutbacks. When it first opened in 1913 the methods used to treat patients would seem barbaric compared to modern medicine today and such practices have left their impressions on the buildings. Since its closure, the hospital has gained a reputation for being a creepy location drawing shows and movies such “The X-File” and “The Possession” to film there. People who enter the building have claimed to hear the whispers and laughter of past patients as they walk through the halls often leaving with an unsettling feeling of hopelessness.
The Ghost Town of Kitsault - Kitsault, BC
For those with a full tank of gas, the abandoned town of Kitsault can be found on the far north coast of British Columbia. Established in 1979 to house the community who worked at the molybdenum mine nearby, Kitsault had a population of just over a thousand people. With a crash in the mining market the community residents were forced to leave their homes and were evacuated in 1982. Although there is no rumour of paranormal activity the town resembles a set from the Walking Dead where shopping malls, houses and recreation centers lay silent and abandoned.
Tranquille Sanatorium - Kamloops, BC
The Tranquille Sanatorium and its surrounding staffing quarters were built in 1907 when the sanatorium was established to treat patients with tuberculosis. After briefly closing for a year in 1958 Tranquille reopened with the sifted focus to treat the mentally ill. It eventually closed again, this time permanently, in 1983. Today, those brave enough to approach have reported seeing floating orbs and figures outlined in the windows often thought to be the spirits of past patients. One account claimed to hear children crying on the eighth floor of the hospital where the pediatric wing once resided.
Photo cred - eramospe00
The Stave Falls Powerhouse - Mission, BC
The Stave Falls Powerhouse is allegedly one of the most haunted areas in BC’s lower mainland, according to the Vancouver Paranormal Society. In operation since 1909 numerous fatalities have taken place at the site leading to its high rate of paranormal occurrences. From quiet whispers and shadowy figures to chairs moving on their own, it is clear the ghostly inhabitants at Stave Falls want their presence known. The powerhouse is still operating today with the original powerhouse from 1909 serving as the present day visitor’s centre for those wishing to confirm these ghostly allegations.
Parkhurst Ghost Town - Whistler, BC
A fun area to hike and explore, the abandoned logging village of Parkhurst can be found on the north shore of Green Lake in Whistler. There are no reports of any ghostly activity but Parkhurst can feel ominous once the shadows of night begin to creep in. Abandoned cars and buildings are the only remnants of the once thriving logging community, which closed with the decline of the logging industry in the 1950’s. A window into the past, Parkhurst is open to the public to explore as the relics left behind are slowly consumed by the natural landscape.
McBarge - Burnaby, BC
Although not accessible and only haunted by poor cholesterol the McBarge makes the list by virtue of once being a floating McDonald's restaurant. In fact, this 57 meter long barge was the second floating McDonald’s location in the world when it was built for Expo ’86. After the world fair the restaurant was abandoned and eventually relocated to the Burnaby Inlet where it remains today.
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