WHAT TO DO WITH HURONIA

Originally known as the Orillia Asylum for Idiots, the infamous Huronia Regional Centre closed in 2009 after more than 100 years of neglect and abuse alleged by the adults and children it housed. Now talks are underway about what to do with the property, with a group of prominent cultural figures proposing it be remade as an arts centre — an idea that many former residents resist.

Cindy Scott, former resident Cindy Scott, 52, was a child when she was admitted to Huronia, but the sight of the property still gives her flashbacks to the physical abuse she endured.

“I had smacks, I had pinches, kicked, you name it,” she said. “You wouldn’t even imagine how bad it is, that place. You have no idea.”

Fred Larsen, chair of the Huronia Cultural Campus Foundation “We’re not looking to hide anything of the property’s history. We very much want to move forward in a way that incorporates an understanding of what happened on the property, both good and the bad, and turn that into a place where we can find joy and beauty and better understanding,” he said.

“We would hope that eventually all of the former residents and their families would appreciate what is created on the property.”

Don Tapscott, writer “This could be the most important development for the region since the arrival of Samuel de Champlain,” Tapscott, a bestselling author, told the Star’s Martin Knelman last year. “This project’s impact goes far beyond the cultural benefits. It would provide massive economic benefits for the region and the province. It could become the hub of entrepreneurship and a major creator of new jobs.”

Tapscott was not available for comment for this story before deadline. With files from Martin Knelman