150 Oliver area residents showed for the local public forum on the new Okanagan Correctional Centre to be located on a 36 acre Osoyoos Indian Band site.
The forum – one of four in a road show for Corrections Branch staff. Last forum is Thursday in Osoyoos. The public meeting consisted of a 90 minutes plus presentation with a question period following.
BC Corrections has also partnered with the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce to provide a business registry to capture interest from local contractors, service providers and job seekers. People interested are advised to register at www.sochamber.ca
Speakers and comments ranged the gamut of positive and negative.
B and B owner Mary Builder said she had moved to Oliver five years ago and thought the area was ideal for wineries and tourists. Builder said she was very concerned and not in favour of a prison. This was followed by supporting applause.
Midge Wyse, owner of a winery said she had studies to prove that nothing good comes to a prison town and the social costs outweigh any pluses.
Russell Work asked whether the choice of Oliver was a “last man standing” decision with no real competition on sites.
RV and Campsite owner James Hodge said he was concerned about signage and indicated he would prefer no signs indicating that a prison is near on the highway or on Tucelnuit Drive.
Linda Venables told the audience she welcomed the idea of a correctional facility and the impact on the economy. This was met with applause.
One women who said she lived in OK Falls stated her husband was a correctional officer in Alberta and looks forward to him having the opportunity to re-locate.
Kersten Grant asked about the Student Loan Forgiveness Program and Scholarship opportunities that were listed on the BC Corrections handout as incentives for Corrections employees.
Helen Foreman said she was amazed at the level of mental health issues that inmates had and that a prison might not be the place for the best treatment
Steve Staresina asked Corrections Staff – “what’s in it for me?” Staresina said he would like to look at the studies that showed Oliver was the best location.
Marion Boyd expressed her frustration that local politicians had made a decision with no consultation with local residents. Boyd, who stated her history working with natives as a social worker, says with the native population in BC jails higher than normal she expected many might want to stay here once released.
Tedd Howard, Provincial Director, Capital Team tried to answer as many questions as possible.
1. The road access on Tucelnuit Drive is for emergency access and will not be “signed” in any major way – once construction of the jail is complete. He said there will be signage on Hwy 97 at Enterprise Way in Senkulmen Business Park to indicate a facility is located there but it will not be sized large.
2. Most inmates stay less than 69 days, visits will be limited, many by tv/phone, inmates will be released by courts in Penticton or to a probation officer in the area they come from. Any inmate ending his sentence at the Correction Facility will given a bus ticket to his home community and history proves the majority do exactly that – return to the area they come from.
3. The process of selecting a site has been going on since 2010 with Okanagan civic areas and native bands being asked to show their interest. Penticton said no – Summerland, PIB and Lumby were still in the running when the application from Osoyoos Indian Band was picked as the superior bid.
4. Howard indicated that in hindsight more consultation could have occurred with South Okanagan residents but ultimately it was a business deal with OIB landowners who voted and “said yes”.
5. He indicated that the Oliver meeting had a respectful tone and thought the questions and statements at the “mic” were lively and added to information.
Brent Merchant, Assistant Deputy Minister read out a letter from the Mayor of Drumheller Alberta – a community that has a prison facility. The Mayor urged communities to consider hosting a correction facility as the economy is solidified with that much salary input to the region.
Merchant also explained that policing costs are provincial not municipal. He said it is difficult to argue with studies done elsewhere on the effects of a jail/prison in your locality. He said logic indicates to him that every community that houses a facility has a huge $$ input to its economy both in the construction phase and the permanent 24 hour a day staffing levels.
Marie Mayhew, Director of Programs and Strategic Services told the audience many of the reports and studies on the correctional facility site are governed by business confidentiality with regard to partners including leases, environmental studies etc on OIB land.
Mayor Ron Hovanes who hosted the meeting and acted as MC stated that the Towns of Osoyoos and Oliver – along with the RDOS supported the bid made by Chief Clarence Louie.
Mayor Hovanes indicated this was a provincial government project – a business deal being made with landowners ( members of the local Indian band ). The meeting was suggested by BC Corrections branch and set up to answer as many questions as possible.