I know that the crime rate in Summerland is relatively low in comparison to other communities in B.C., but you have to take into consideration that we are also much smaller than a lot of other towns and cities where crime is more rampant. But as an “area,” we in the Okanagan, unlike most of the other “areas,” in B.C. don’t have a any kind of a “jail,” a “prison,” or a “penitentiary.” As an “area” we probably don’t have as much crime as Vancouver, or the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island. We probably do have as much crime as the Cariboo area, and they have two jails, one in Kamloops and another in Prince George.
What I’m trying to say is that, despite not wanting to see a remand/correctional facility in the Okanagan, or at least not in your back yard, we need to face the fact that there are criminals in the Okanagan, that we do have murders here every year, that we do have bank or store robberies, that we do have all sorts of anti-social crimes being committed every day of the year, and multiple times every day.
Doesn’t it bother you that we don’t take care of our own problem people, but ship them off to other facilities in B.C. to look after? Why are we so much better? Because we are a resort area? Because we have so many senior citizens who might suffer by having a jail in their backyard? Because we might have a business, and that our business might suffer because tourists don’t like doing business in “prison” towns? “Oh,” says the Calgarian to his family, “we can’t visit Summerland, Penticton or Oliver, because they have a prison there.” “Oh,” says the Pentictonite, “we can’t visit the dinosaur museum in Drumheller because it has a prison there, a federal penitentiary at that!” Good gracious! Excuse me, but that is utter crap.
Where is your social conscious, Summerland? Penticton? Why are you better than any other community in B.C.?
Frank Martens
Summerland