When the provincial government announced five years ago that it had reached an agreement with the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) to build the first provincial correctional centre in B.C. in more than 10 years, former Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells commented this project would have the greatest economic impact of any project in the history of this region.
Five years later and the Okanagan Correctional Centre is no longer a pipe dream, but a stark reality and that’s wonderful news for a lot of people in Oliver, Osoyoos and across the entire South Okanagan.
Wells’ words were indeed prophetic – and accurate – as the impressive $200-million correctional facility officially held its grand opening ceremony last Friday.
Warden Steve DiCastri took a crew of media on a tour of the facility last Friday morning before leading numerous public tours Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
To say there has been overwhelming positive response to this new facility would be a gross understatement.
It’s fairly obvious the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General had no clue there would be this kind of response as more than 3,000 people have called in to be part of the first jail in B.C. history to offer public tours of a new facility.
With literally dozens of new staff that have been hired arriving each and every week for intensive training, ministry and jail staff are offering two more days of public tours this coming Saturday and Sunday, but that’s it.
With inmates set to start arriving in the middle of January, senior management at the OCC have a lot of work to do to get staff fully trained and ready to perform their duties over the next 10 or 11 weeks.
The opening ceremony was grand indeed as more than 100 correctional officers – some who have been hired to work at the OCC and others from across the region and all corners of B.C. – joined dignitaries for the very special occasion.
The two most common themes presented during the facility tour and opening ceremony were that the OCC is going to have a positive economic impact on the Town of Oliver and this region for generations to come and the inmates serving their sentences will be given work and job skills necessary to be rehabilitated and contributing members of society.
Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes and Boundary Similkameen MLA Linda Larson both commented on the incredible positive economic impact that has already been felt through the construction phase of this project.
More than 1,000 people were hired to work on the construction of the OCC and tens of millions of dollars were spent on construction materials in local stores, eating food in local restaurants and accommodations in hotels and motels.
Once the OCC is operational, there will be 240 correctional officers on the payroll and another 60 in senior administration and support staff.
Almost all of these jobs are full-time and high-paying and they will be around for generations to come.
Many of the correctional officers who have been hired are young men and women and the majority of them are likely to spend most of their professional careers in the South Okanagan as well know this is one of the best places to live anywhere in Canada.
Many of the correctional officers who have been hired have already bought houses in Oliver, Osoyoos, Okanagan Falls and Penticton and many more will be doing the same thing once they get settled and comfortable in their new jobs.
It’s no coincidence enrolment for the new school year across School District 53 is up by more than 50 students. This is directly related to the opening of the OCC.
The number of new houses that have been purchased in Oliver and Osoyoos have skyrocketed since construction on the OCC started more than two years ago.
Those housing sales are surely going to increase as more staff moves to this region to begin their training in preparation for the arrival of prisoners in early January.
As Hovanes commented at the opening ceremony, these new workers will not only contribute enormously to the local economies in Osoyoos and Oliver, but they will also become coaches and volunteers in minor sports and community leaders away from work.
For the few who worried about community safety, DiCastri made it very clear the OCC will be using state-of-the-art technology to keep inmates, correctional officers and the community at large very safe.
While this is a high-security prison, the majority of offenders who will serve their time here are not violent or dangerous.
The average length of stay will be between 60 and 70 days.
Most of the offenders coming here have issues with drugs and alcohol and will be offered quality substance abuse programs.
They will also be given every opportunity to acquire the jobs and life skills necessary to look for and find work once their time is served.
At the end of the day, the opening of the OCC can only be viewed as a wonderful day as this facility will provide economic and social benefits for decades to come.
This is all very good news indeed.
