A few years ago, Lumby citizens were told their community was too small to continue having its own high school. Close to 400 students attend that high school. It employs 45 people. Now the same governments tell us we’re not too small to have a prison with 360 cells, that would cost $200 millions to build and millions more to operate.
What kind of government would find a community too small to keep its school but big enough to have a prison?
This prison is now being sold as a way to save our schools but experience shows this is not the case.
Research on the impacts of prisons in small rural communities show they typically have negligible or negative economic impacts and chase young families away. The Lumby prison, no matter where it would be built, would be within walking distance of the schools.
Lumby now has more children in kindergarten than it did five years ago, largely because young families are moving here for the lifestyle. All together, Lumby’s schools now employ 84 people and accommodate a total of 768 students. Teachers typically reside in the town where they teach, whereas prison guards get a commuting allowance so they don’t have to do so.
Lumby and area is becoming known for its natural beauty and its small town friendly atmosphere. Let us not ruin a good thing.
Huguette Allen
