Alberta Hospital Edmonton is a 300-bed psychiatric care facility that provides assessment, diagnosis, treatment, education and research.
Alberta Hospital Edmonton has had a long history. Previously known as the Provincial Mental Institute at Oliver, it opened on July 1, 1923 with 47 initial patients. At that time, there was a dormitory, a sewage disposal plant, power house, kitchen, bakery, laundry, farm buildings and a house for the superintendent.
Until 1963, the campus farm was a place where patients could enjoy a few outdoor tasks and it even supplied meat, eggs and vegetables for the hospital.
In the 20’s, the hospital’s gardener had succeeded in planting nearly every species of tree in Canada, which are still enjoyed by visitors and wildlife alike.
Alberta Hospital used to provide more than psychiatric care; there was an obstetrics unit and facilities for surgeries (7 appendectomies were completed in 1953).
In 1954, a Fire Chief was appointed and regular training of the firemen, all of whom were volunteers drawn from staff residing on the grounds, was instituted. On July 31, 1987 this volunteer fire department put it’s training in action when six members were the first on scene at the tornado in neighbouring Evergreen Mobile Home Park. The hospital provided emergency medical care to hundreds of people until they were able to be transported to city hospitals.
In 2001, fire response to the hospital transitioned to the City of Edmonton fire departments and the AHE department was closed.
