Could outdoor rec come to Centre County’s jail? Board given handful of options
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Centre County board reviewed seven recreation upgrade options for county jail.
- Proposals ranged from $15K mural work to $2M fenced outdoor fields per yard.
- Staffing shortages and added security needs complicate outdoor recreation plans.
The board that oversees Centre County’s jail was presented Thursday with seven options to improve recreation opportunities for people incarcerated there, ranging from the simple and relatively inexpensive to the complex and costly.
It was the latest step in a yearslong process that’s seen advocates push Centre County to become a leader in offering traditional outdoor recreation to inmates, instead of the current setup of six small indoor gyms with a garage door that opens from the top.
The Centre County commissioners — who also sit on the prison board of inspectors — approved hiring an infrastructure consulting firm in January to conduct a feasibility study for up to $82,840. The company presented the options Thursday morning in front of the board and several longtime advocates for outdoor recreation at the jail.
The county’s prison board of inspectors neither voted nor indicated which option they prefer or would like to explore in more detail, but Thursday was the first time the options — including their projected costs — were made public.
“There’s a lot here to consider,” Centre County Commissioner and board member Amber Concepcion said.
What’s the current setup at the jail?
The Centre County Correctional Facility, which hasn’t undergone any major exterior changes since it opened in 2005, has six urban recreation yards. Four are 695 square feet, while the other two are 975 square feet.
They are indoors, though there is a large, grated window that can open to allow limited sunlight and fresh air. Basketball, volleyball and cornhole are among the options for inmates.
They are not climate controlled. Inmates, however, can access them at nearly any time of day and they require no additional staffing. Most jails in Pennsylvania have similar setups.
“As one of the more wealthy counties in the state, we have the ability — if we choose to exercise it — to deploy some of that resource toward solving this problem,” longtime county resident Jeff Davidson said during a May 2023 board meeting. “There was a problem that occurred, frankly, when this facility was designed, but now we need to own that problem. It’s a problem every day that we continue it. It was a problem that happened then, but it’s not an irreconcilable problem. It’s one that we can go back and address.”
Potential indoor upgrades
One option presented to the board was installing murals or painting the walls, changing them from beige to a more inviting color. It could also include what a designer described as “acoustic treatments” aimed at reducing echoes in the space.
The cost was estimated at $15,000 to $20,000 per yard.
Two other options would be to install a new screen or window beneath the existing setup, each of which would require routine inspections. The cheaper of the two options would cost $25,000 to $40,000 per yard, while the more secure option would cost $45,000 to $60,000 per year.
The board could also consider landscaping the area outside of the current recreation yards to enhance “visual quality and connection to nature” from within. That’s projected to cost $5,000 to $10,000 per yard.
None of those options would require additional staffing.
Potential outdoor upgrades
Four fenced outdoor recreation areas could be installed adjacent to the existing recreation yards. A preliminary assessment found an additional staff member would be required per yard.
The jail would need increased security, such as CCTV, lighting and detection systems. With a single fence, it would cost $275,000 to $300,000 per yard. With two fences, it would cost $325,000 to $350,000.
The board could also consider three larger fenced areas detached from the jail, locations that inmates would access through exterior corridors. Two additional staff members would be required per yard, as well as the same security improvements.
The cost ranges from $850,000 to $925,000 per yard with one fence and $925,000 to $1 million per yard with two.
Decision-makers could also weigh fencing in two large open fields, offering the most space and recreational offerings. It’d require three additional staff members per yard and comes with the highest cost — $1.5 million to $1.75 million per yard with one fence or $1.75 million to $2 million per yard with two.
All of these options would require ongoing maintenance.
What else the board will consider
The costs presented to the board only cover potential construction. They did not include costs for design, land development, architectural work, engineering or permitting — steps that can add upward of 20% to any project.
And all of the options are being discussed for a facility struggling to maintain adequate staffing as is, much like other jails in Pennsylvania.
“If we would have outdoor recreation today, it would not be open,” Warden Glenn Irwin told the board. “We do not have enough staff to open outdoor recreation.”
Where it goes from here
The board, the jail’s administration, advocates and others have at least a month to review the draft report before the board’s next scheduled meeting at 8 a.m. Oct. 9.
Then, at the board’s November meeting, the jail’s administration is expected to offer its recommendation. From there, any further steps would be decided by the board.
This story was originally published September 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM.