Later this month is your chance to take a stroll through B.C.’s new correctional centre just north of Oliver.

On Oct. 21, 22 and 23, the public can take guided tours of Okanagan Correctional Centre’s living units, cells and secure inmate areas. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see areas of a correctional centre that are usually off limits to the public. They’ll also learn about the day-to-day operations of the correctional centre and what life in custody is like for inmates. You’ll find the centre about 8.5 km north of Oliver in the Senkulmen Business Park at 38801 Hwy. 97, with ample free parking on site.

All visitors who want to take a one-hour guided tour must register in advance by calling 250 485-8263 during business hours, Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Visitors are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for donation to local food banks. Light refreshments will be provided at the end of each tour.

Please note that, for security reasons, cameras and recording equipment – including smart phones – must be left in your vehicle or at home.

Completed on time and on budget in September, the $200-million facility is the first provincial correctional centre in the Okanagan and B.C.’s tenth overall. Following system testing and staff training, the centre will begin housing inmates in 2017 and employ approximately 300 South Okanagan residents as correctional officers and various administrative and support roles.