Outdoor project for Centre County prison takes next step

BELLEFONTE, Pa. — The Centre County Correctional Facility has been looking to conduct a feasibility survey for an outdoor recreational area and they just took a step forward.

At the April 2 Centre County Board of Commissioners meeting, the request for qualification (RFQ) was presented by the correctional facility to the board. In it, they requested to have a professional come out to survey the space to see if it would be feasible to install an outdoor recreational area for inmates to gather in.

Residents from State College, Patton Township and DuBois voiced their support for the recreational area, citing the benefits of an outdoor space for inmates. They also appreciate the support for the survey and the care taken to “really solve the problem” according to one resident.

After hearing the testimonies, the board voted unanimously to begin the advertisement for the request for services.

“What this RFQ is doing is trying to get some expertise, some analysis to help us see ways that we might be able to improve the spaces we have that goes beyond, you know, our thinking that we have here internally to the county,” Amber Concepcion, county commissioner, said.

The next step in the project will be to start advertising the request. County Chairman Mark Higgins said that it traditionally takes “about a month” between sending out the request and seeing a response.

After the survey is conducted, the board will listen to the surveyor’s advice on whether to proceed with the project or not.