| Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of the hospital estate. | |
 | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Lake Alice, Rangitikei, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 40°07′33″S 175°20′13″E / 40.1258°S 175.3369°E |
| Organisation | |
| Care system | Public |
| Type | Psychiatric |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | No |
| Beds | 960 |
| History | |
| Opened | August 1950 |
| Closed | October 1999 |
| Links | |
| Website | http://www.lakealicehospital.com Unofficial |
| Lists | Hospitals in New Zealand |
Lake Alice Hospital was a rural psychiatric facility in Lake Alice, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand. It was opened in August 1950, and had a maximum security unit. Like many New Zealand psychiatric hospitals, Lake Alice was largely self-sufficient, with its own farm, workshop, bakery, laundry, and fire station. It also had swimming pools, glasshouses, and vegetable gardens.
The facility slowly shut down during the mid-1990s, finally closing its doors in October 1999.
The buildings and 56-hectare (140-acre) grounds were purchased in July 2006 by Auckland accountant and property developer group Lake Hicks Ltd.[1]
Plans to develop the former psychiatric hospital were scrapped after the owners fell into financial difficulties. The property was sold again in December 2008. The new owners intend to demolish most of the buildings including the infamous maximum security unit. A few buildings such as the administration block will remain and the land will be used for farming.[2][3]
- ^ Miller, Grant (27 July 2006). "Buyer and Price of Lake Alice a Mystery". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 1 April 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "New vision for Lake Alice". 12 March 2009.
- ^ "Newspaper articles & News - Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital New Zealand". Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.