Clifford Branscombe

541 Days Road, Kingston, ON K7M3R8, CA

The Reclamation Project: The Value of Living Life at the Helm

Stories of life in an institution and the voices that closed them

Clifford "Skip" Branscombe

I was 5 years old when I went to live at Rideau Regional Centre. It was a very noisy place with lots of kids. I lived on a ward where the beds were all very close together. We would have to go to bed at 8 o’clock. The other kids bullied me and swore a lot but the staff would always help me.

I never had any of my own things there and I don’t remember getting any gifts or celebrating any special occasions. I went to school and my teacher taught me how to read Charlie Brown books. She was a good teacher. I had a good friend named Brian and we would go to the dances in the big gym. I also had a girlfriend named Cindy, but we lost touch when I moved away.

It was my job to mop the floors at RRC. I had a big hopper of water. They would give me money for this and I would spend it on chips at the canteen. I also liked bowling, swimming, playing baseball and shooting pool.

I moved to Prince Edward Heights when I was 14 years old. I lived in Area 8. I shared a house with 3 other men. I had my own room with my own TV, a bed, a dresser, and a pocket AM radio. My door was locked and I had to ask staff to go into my room.

I worked on the Task Force. We would cut grass, trim edges, and blow snow. I would fix the lawnmowers when they broke. Once, at the Assembly Hall, I was cutting the grass and ran over a rabbit with the lawnmower. I was paid $10 every week and I would buy pop at the canteen, or the staff would take me shopping or to a restaurant. I also had a job at the bakery for a while.

I had a lot of friends at PEH. I would go to the dances at the Assembly Hall. I would go to the Rec Hall and play pool, floor hockey, and listen to music on the record player. They gave me the record player and I put it in my room. I had a 3 speed bike and I would ride it around the village, or I would walk around. I had the most fun playing football with the other guys, and playing at the playground. I also liked doing gymnastics.

I went to school for a while. I remember the teacher owned a guinea pig.

My parents would come to visit me and take me out for coffee or supper. I would go visit them and sleep at my mom’s house, and have Christmas with my dad. I have a big family with 5 brothers and 1 sister.

I liked it at PEH. I could walk around and do whatever I wanted. There was one time when I got really angry at PEH. The staff were touching my stuff. I told them to stop and they broke my flashlight right in front of me. They ended up buying me a new one.

I miss the kids at RRC, and I miss PEH a lot. I miss the staff there.

The best place I have ever lived is right here, right now. I have my own key to my own apartment in the basement of a house owned by Pathways to Independence. I make my own coffee and the staff bring me my meals and medications. I clean my own apartment and the staff help me clean my bathroom. I am very happy!