Removing Quinte Detention Centre fence is 'an accident waiting to happen' says Napanee councillor

The exact origin of the adage "Good fences make good neighbours" is disputed. Nevertheless, Greater Napanee Councillor Mike Schenk is an unabashed proponent of the concept, at least when it comes to the fencing around the Quinte Detention Centre (QDC).

This became apparent on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at the regular meeting of the Council of the Town of Greater Napanee, when Schenk raised concerns about the renovation of QDC and asked for an inquiry into the matter. Located at 89 Richmond Boulevard in Napanee, the QDC opened in 1971, replacing county jails in Belleville, Kingston, Picton, and Napanee. In December 2024, the provincial government announced that, as part of expanding support capacity in the Eastern Region, QDC will be extended to add 66 new beds for female offenders and more programming space, bringing its capacity to over 300 beds.

Schenk’s concern centred on the removal of the perimeter fence during the construction phase at the institution: “There won’t be any fencing during the process --- and this is still a jail,” he remarked. “I've had several people call me asking if this is true. From what I understand, it is.”

“I know it's under provincial jurisdiction, but it's still within our municipality," Schenk went on. "You wouldn’t expect someone to go to jail without a perimeter fence; it’s a security issue. If it's a jail, it should look and function like one.”

“My preference is that there be a fence to keep the public at a safe distance, for security reasons. I might not be an expert in this field, but if I lived in town [as opposed to Schenk's Ward 1, which is rural], I’d want that,” he declared.

Mayor Terry Richardson suggested that General Manager of Growth and Infrastructure Michael Nobes, who was present at the meeting, could present a report summarizing the plan for QDC at an upcoming meeting.

However, Richardson also pointed out that not only will the fence be removed for construction, but it will probably not be replaced.

“I know with many of these new facilities being built, they're not putting perimeter fences around parking lots anymore,” he observed. “For example, the one just west of Toronto, Maplehurst, doesn’t have one. You can literally drive right into the parking lot. It seems the old days of having a full perimeter fence around these facilities are gone.”

Nobes said, “Just before this meeting, I received a response from the Ministry [of the Solicitor General] regarding these concerns. Council will receive that correspondence, and you're welcome to review it after the meeting. If there are further questions, feel free to reach out. I’ll follow up as needed, including back and forth with the ministry if necessary."

Schenk reiterated, “I’d just like to know whether we have any say [about] the site plan. I don’t care what they do in Toronto; I care about what happens here in Greater Napanee. Sorry, but I’m not that sensitive --- if you’re in jail, it means you did something wrong. All I’m saying is, do we have control over this? If not, then I guess I’m just beating a dead horse.”

"We have limited influence," Nobes responded. "We can make requests, but perimeter fencing isn’t something we can require through site plan control. The Planning Act outlines what we can require, like parking minimums, road improvements, and so on, but security measures like fencing aren't included. We can certainly ask, but we have no authority to enforce it.”

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Matthew Grant asked Nobes, “Have we reached out to Ontario Corrections to ask about the security implications of removing the fence without replacing it? It might be good to have that info to share.”

Nobes replied that this information was in the correspondence sent to Council just before the meeting, and he reiterated that Council members could contact him with questions or concerns after they had read the communication. Mayor Richardson agreed and said Council would revisit the issue at its next meeting.

Councillor Angela Hicks then said, “I'm picturing the proposed changes at the Quinte Detention Centre: the recreation yard, if I remember correctly, is on the north side, facing [Highway] 401. It’s not fenced but walled: three sides are the building itself, and the fourth is a solid wall, like cinder block. There’s no other place where inmates are outside the building. Is that why the perimeter fence is being removed?”

“Yes,” Nobes answered. “That’s the explanation from the ministry. In the new addition, any outdoor area for inmates is on the north side and is fully enclosed [on] three sides by the building, and [on] the fourth by a wall. The existing facility has a more interior arrangement for outdoor areas.”

Before the matter was set aside, Schenk expressed further misgivings, even noting that a friend of his who works in corrections objects to the idea of removing the fencing.

“In today’s world, it just feels like an accident waiting to happen. This facility is right next to a busy highway. Someone could easily toss something over, or worse. There's no security, and I agree with the concerns. I'm just a councillor from Ward 1 in Greater Napanee, and that’s who I’m here to represent. I’ll read the material and see if there’s another angle we can take."

Meetings of the Council of the Town of Greater Napanee can be viewed virtually (or watched afterward) on the Napanee Town Council YouTube channel or attended in person in Council Chambers at Napanee Town Hall, 124 John Street. Further information about Council meetings, including agendas and reports, is available on the Town’s CivicWeb portal.