Penticton residents urge council to scrap proposal for local prison

CHERYL CHAN, The ProvinceMay 23, 2011
 Penticton residents who don’t want B.C.’s biggest prison in their back yard are calling on city council to scrap its bid.  A group called Citizens Against Penticton Prison plans to present a 3,458-signature petition to city council Tuesday afternoon against the proposed 360-cell prison, slated for completion in 2015.  “We are calling on the city to withdraw from the process,” spokesman Tom Bijvoet told The Province. “A facility like this is just too big for Penticton.”  The city has formally submitted two sites — one on Campbell Mountain and another at the Cantex gravel pit — to the provincial government for the four-storey, $200-million facility.  Some residents are worried the prison will define Penticton, which is largely known as a tourist town and retirement community.  “We don’t feel getting known as a prison town will be good for the community,” said Bijvoet. “Whatever potential economic benefits will be outweighed by other loss of economic activity.”  The prison may also have a negative social impact on the community, especially since the average length of stay for inmates will be only 30 to 56 days, said Bijvoet.  “Some of the inmates will go home, but we also know there will be people who will like to live in Penticton, and if they have no strong roots elsewhere, they might decide to stay.” Bijvoet also cited water and light pollution as other potentially harmful side-effects.

Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton does not agree his city’s reputation will suffer a hit if the prison moves in. “There are many towns in Canada that have [correctional] facilities in them,” he said, citing the presence of a prison in Kamloops and “Kamloops is not known as a prison town.”  He said the south Okanagan Similkameen region needs the dollars and jobs the facility will bring in — estimated by the province to be $17 million a year in economic spinoffs and up to 566 construction jobs and 240 corrections jobs.  The province is expected to choose a site in mid-June.  Ashton said community acceptance will play a role in the province’s decision and urged residents to make their decisions based on facts and not hyperbole.  “There may be a perception, but perceptions are what you want to make of it,” he said, adding it’ll be better for Penticton to have the prison within city limits as opposed to elsewhere in the south Okanagan so the city can have a say in future decisions.  Bijvoet said even if the prison is located outside the city but in the south Okanagan, Penticton — as the major city in the area — will carry the brunt of the social problems.  Other districts that have expressed interest in the new jail include Summerland and the Penticton and Osoyoos Indian Bands in the south Okanagan. and Lumby in the north, where city council pushed ahead with its bid despite 56 per cent of residents casting a “no” vote in a non-binding referendum.

In Penticton, a binding referendum on the prison is scheduled on June 18, but Ashton said Monday that date might be moved up. The final date will be decided at Thursday’s council meeting.  Opponents of the prison, however, called the referendum unnecessary.  “We’re not opposed to it, but the only problem is it’s going to cost $50,000,” said Bijvoet.  “We think it’s clear enough that the majority of the population is opposed to this prison, and we can spend the money elsewhere.”