The newest accommodation in town is really modern and has all the bells and whistles you could wish for in a state of the art facility.

There is lots of well lit, secure parking, even several recharging stations for electric cars and is nicely landscaped.  The cuisine will feature fresh, home grown veggies which are picked right out of the back yard.

The fully inclusive package includes three meals a day, free tea and coffee available most of the time, complimentary laundry service, exercise equipment, all sorts of board games, free computer access and, of course, a tv in every room.

Oliver has long needed a bigger place for accommodation and it has finally come in the form or our new prison.

This week I joined the 3000 people who were taken on the tour of the new corrections unit and, I must say I was impressed.  Three security officers accompanied about 25 visitors on the tour, two of the officers gave a very informative portrayal of what happens to an inmate from arrival to inception.

After his arrival into a bright reception area, the prisoner showers, puts on a red prison uniform, goes through a complete body scanner, to ensure no drugs or weapons are being smuggled in, then he goes for a medical exam.  This also includes a psychiatric assessment.

There is then an interview to assess the inmate for placement into a work program.  There are numerous options for employment from simple laundry work, various workshops where they can learn a skill and even growing the herbs and vegetables in the two huge on-site greenhouses.

Computerised learning programs and even basic reading skills are taught, so there is an opportunity for everyone to find a suitable program.  If work or learning skills are completed in a timely fashion, the inmate receives a very small payment which can be used to purchase items from the canteen.  Successfully completing the programs also counts to a chance of early release.  Refusal to comply goes against a favourable report for early release.

Our tour included a visit to the living areas of the minimum security unit, each unit or pod, is divided into four separate housing areas of three floors, each unit containing accommodation for thirty six people.  Each area has an exercise yard which is totally enclosed by high concrete walls.  The only view is the sky, through the barred roof.

Cells are very basic, two concrete bunks with a thin mattress.  A shelf which could house a computer, a steel toilet and a small, wall mounted tv, this is enclosed in a steel and plexiglass case, hopefully to prevent breakage.  Each bunk has a small window, the window I looked out of had a view of a concrete wall, not very inspiring but maybe the higher floors had a valley view.

The prison is going to take one inmate per cell for the time being, for a total of three hundred plus inmates, but they are prepared to double that number, if need be.  There is a separate unit which can house up to sixteen females, however, this is for pre-trial stay only.  Women who are sentenced to serve time will be taken to Allouette prison, in Maple Ridge.

Visits with family are done via a computer monitor, the visitor stays on the ground floor, using a video screen, the prisoner stays in his housing unit and talks via another monitor.  This lack of contact is another measure to prevent the passing of drugs.  With constant good behaviour the inmate can earn the right to a personal visit, across a table.

The guards giving the tour seem optimistic about creating an environment where prisoners can be taught to be productive members of society, we can only hope that the new facility can have a good success rate and manages to do this.

The whole place seems very secure with 1700 cameras and very forbidding steel doors, fencing looks very formidable and is very high.  The greenhouse area and the fact of work parties being around the community seem to be an area of concern but, hopefully, will be securely guarded.  Two huge generators will kick in should there be a power outage so those who are meant to be locked inside remain there.

It is ultra modern with state of the art equipment, however, I sincerely hope that this will be my one and only visit to our new “hotel.”