Prison unlikely at site in OK Falls

JOHN MOORHOUSE  Special to The Daily Courier 2011-02-08

While communities throughout the Okanagan ponder whether to apply for a 360-cell prison proposed by the provincial government, a prime site in Okanagan Falls appears to be crossed off the list. Bill Schwarz, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen director for Area D, said there is mixed support in the community for locating the prison in Okanagan Falls - including the former Weyerhaeuser Canada sawmill site.  "I‘ve heard both plus and minus in OK Falls about locating the prison on the Weyerhaeuser site," he said.  "I‘ve talked to the group that have an offer to purchase on the property . . . and they‘re saying at this time, they‘re not prepared to contemplate it." Zinfandel Holdings Ltd. of Penticton announced in June 2009 it had reached an agreement in principle to purchase and develop the 63-hectare site from Weyerhaeuser.  Schwarz said although the deal has yet to be finalized, he understands the company‘s plans include mixed residential-light industrial park, including about 200 homes units along Shuttleworth Creek.  "That‘s the designs that they‘ve put together. They haven‘t got the zoning yet," he said.  Officials with Zinfandel could not be reached for comment Monday. The Weyerhaeuser property has remained vacant since the mill shut down in December 2007.  The prison proposal and future of the Weyerhaeuser property are among several local issues to be discussed at an open house/town hall meeting on Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Okanagan Falls Elementary School gymnasium.  Meanwhile, the Penticton Indian band is holding its own informational meeting on the prison proposal. A general band meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Band Hall on Green Mountain Road.  Chief Jonathan Kruger said Monday the meeting will look at all aspects of the proposal and get feedback from band members. No possible site has yet been selected.  More than 350 people turned out to an informational meeting into the prison proposal last week hosted by Penticton city council. Although people voiced arguments pro and con, no proposed location was revealed by council.  The provincial government has set a deadline of April 1 for community submissions on the prison  proposal.