Evangeline region’s community projects keep evolving at healthy pace

ABRAM-VILLAGE, PEI – March 2, 2012 – The organizations responsible for 15 community and economic development projects in the Evangeline region each had an opportunity to provide updates on their initiatives during a special meeting for community stakeholders Wednesday, Feb. 29, in Abram-Village.

“The 26 people present kept saying how impressed and sometimes surprised they were to see the amazing developments that had taken place since the last meeting of this type that we held back on June 14, 2011,” says Louise Comeau, executive director of the Baie Acadienne Development Corporation, which organized the gathering. “The people particularly noted that the evolution of these initiatives was continuing at a very healthy pace.”

For example, during the meeting, it was noted that three of the projects discussed last time were now completed: renovations at both the Mont-Carmel Parish Hall and the Abram’s Village Handcraft Co-op and construction of a bike park in Wellington.

Some of the projects have moved several steps forward while others are presently underway:

  • Construction of a tourism development and bait sheds at Egmont Bay Wharf;
  • Modernization of the Union Corner Provincial Park;
  • Development of an approach to take ownership of the Cape Egmont Lighthouse and to develop the site;
  • Renovation of the Centre Expo-Festival;
  • Preparations for the establishment of a community radio station;
  • Preparation of a program of events to celebrate the bicentennial of the Egmont-Bay and Mont-Carmel parishes;
  • Preparation of a program of events to celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives;
  • Development of a concept for a new complex to house senior citizens;
  • A study on the development of a brand for the local tourism product.

The project to embellish the entrance to the Evangeline region at Day’s Corner was not able to move ahead because of lack of funding.

As well, during a lively and positive discussion on the subject of the Centre Goéland, which is having funding challenges, the participants expressed a great desire to ensure its long-term survival. Le Village des Sources l’Étoile Filante has begun negotiations to buy the center to provide a permanent home for its youth personal development camps (which it wants to expand provincially) and to continue renting out the facilities to the public for all kinds of gatherings. Participants were quite pleased to hear that this option was on the table.

Last year’s meeting had been organized at the request of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, which was suggesting that the community prioritize its projects. However, the community stakeholders had indicated they did not see any benefit of prioritizing since all the projects are being handled by different partners and each one of them touches upon a different sector.

The participants rather said it would be more important to have community meetings, once or twice a year, to provide updates on all the projects to determine where there might be collaboration opportunities.

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CUTLINE: Louise Comeau, centre, executive director of the Baie Acadienne Development Corporation, discusses the various community projects now underway in the Evangeline region with Carmella Richard from Le Bel Âge Housing Co-op and Norman Arsenault from the Egmont Bay Harbour Authority.

For more information:

Louise Comeau
Executive director
Baie Acadienne Development Corporation
(902) 854-3655

Bonnie Gallant
Economic development officer
RDÉE Prince Edward Island
(902) 854-3663