Lumby council places prison on economic agenda

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: May 18, 2010 7:00 PM

Lumby’s future could include a prison. Village officials have been lobbying the provincial government since fall to possibly become the site of a new regional correctional facility. “We now want to find out what our residents and our neighbours think,” said Mayor Kevin Acton. “If we give the province positive feedback, it may move things ahead.” Acton says council is unanimous in considering a correctional facility as a way of promoting economic development in Lumby and neighbouring jurisdictions. “Lumby had five mills at one time and there’s nothing now. Infrastructure is failing and if we don’t get something going, residents will be hit with huge tax increases,” he said. A facility could house about 200 inmates being remanded for custody or serving sentences of two years less a day. The closest courthouses are in Vernon and Kelowna. Acton says there could be 70 direct jobs created for existing residents as well as newcomers, bolstering real estate, commercial stores and schools.

There are a couple of possible locations for a prison, including at the industrial park. Acton says that could lead to the extension of sewer and water services, helping attract other investors to the area. “As you research it, it makes economic sense,” he said. However, he admits that some Lumby residents may question how a prison will impact their personal safety. “Everyone is fearful of something like this and what happens if someone escapes?” he said, adding, though, that security is tight at such facilities. As part of the village’s research, Acton has met with officials from Kamloops, which has been the site of a correctional centre since 1989. “They had nothing bad to say about it. The economic benefits were significant and there was no increase in crime,” he said. The only correctional facility in the region is in Kamloops and it is over-capacity. Plans to build an Okanagan-based centre in Lake Country failed after significant public opposition there. Questions about such a facility in Lumby are still being directed towards the government, including specifically how many jobs would be created, the estimated value of a facility for tax purposes and whether Victoria would include funding for infrastructure upgrades such as roads and policing. Acton is encouraging residents to contact council with their thoughts on the proposal. “I think everyone will have a knee-jerk reaction at first. But the reasonable person who can see the benefit will be a strong proponent,” he said.

Council met late Tuesday to discuss the concept with business and community leaders in Lumby. Eric Foster, Vernon-Monashee MLA, is aware of the research being done by village council. “I think the idea has a lot of merit,” he said. “There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered but it’s a great idea to take a look at it. It’s a recession-proof industry and it’s clean.” Foster, who has lived in Lumby for 26 years, believes some residents may have safety concerns. “I certainly wouldn’t want to jeopardize my family’s safety. But if you look at it, anyone with a facility has no issues,” he said.