A changing downtown, a closing café ☕️

IN THIS ISSUE

➡️ Community: Find a Remembrance Day ceremony

➡️ Ready for another displaced left turn intersection?

➡️ In-Picture: Cyclist visits PEI during 15,000-km ride

QUICK HITS

💰 City wants control of Sherwood property: Charlottetown is in the process of acquiring control of a property in Sherwood from its insurance provider. The property, located next to the Sherwood Recreation Hall at 54 Maple Avenue, was the subject of a lawsuit against the city last year stemming from an oil leak incident at Sherwood Recreation Hall, which originally occurred in 2013. As a result of the lawsuit, a neighboring property owner successfully sued the city for damages (CBC), leading to a court order requiring the city to purchase the home for $375,000. The city’s insurance provider purchased the home and is now trying to recoup some of its expenses, so the city is seeking to purchase full control of the property for $340,000. The issue will make its way to council later this month.

👁️ E-Watch Stratford: Stratford is exploring the idea of rolling out an E-Watch video surveillance program similar to the one that has been in place in Charlottetown since 2015. While no decision or announcement has been made, recent meeting documents show that one option being considered would see eight cameras installed along the Trans-Canada Highway between the Hillsborough Bridge and the emergency services building. The chair of the town’s safety services committee is hopeful that funding from the province would be made available to at least get the program started.

⚖️ Developing a community legal clinic: The province has issued a request for proposals to hire a consultant who will spearhead an engagement process as part of the government's initiative to establish a community legal clinic. The chosen consultant will assess existing legal services in PEI, pinpoint any shortcomings, and assist in shaping the most suitable legal clinic model. In general, legal clinics provide services to individuals who cannot afford representation in various legal domains, extending beyond criminal matters. The Department of Justice and Public Safety will oversee the project. The province expects to have a finalized report before next summer.

👮 Man charged with attempted murder, arson: A 30-year-old Charlottetown man has been charged with attempted murder and arson following a tent fire early Monday morning near the emergency shelter on Park Street. Shelter staff noticed and extinguished the fire around 6:00 a.m. and were able to rescue a man from the tent. He was treated for smoke inhalation and later released. Surveillance footage helped police identify the suspect, who was arrested on St. Peters Road at 5:00 pm on the same day. The accused, who The Guardian has identified as Jesse Douglas Paquet, appeared in court Tuesday and has been remanded in custody.

TRAFFIC

Displaced left proposed for intersection to Hillsborough Bridge

Changes are in the pipeline for the area near the Charlottetown side of the Hillsborough Bridge, with plans for a displaced left turn intersection and the realignment of Water Street. This area of the city, referred to as the Eastern Gateway (plan), has been earmarked for redevelopment for over a decade. 

The city will kickstart that redevelopment this week by starting preliminary work to rebuild Grafton Street. That work, which will ramp up next spring, will involve upgrading underground utilities between Holland College and the bridge and preparing the street for a future project to realign Water Street, connecting it with Grafton Street near Joe Ghiz Park. 

For the province’s part, it hosted an information session Wednesday evening to unveil its plan to construct a displaced left turn intersection leading to the bridge. Work on that project set to commence next summer.

#PEIslandEdition

What a ride 🚴

Nick Avis recently shared a photo he took during his 15,000-km cycling journey from the Northwest Territories to Newfoundland and Labrador, including a stop in Victoria, BC. He reached PEI on September 29, marking day 97 of his adventure. Nick successfully achieved his goal of raising $15,000 for RAVEN Trust, a legal defense fund that supports Indigenous Nations in upholding their rights and safeguarding their ancestral lands through the justice system. You can read more about Nick’s adventure on his website , or see some photos on his Instagram.

Tag @PEIslandEdition or use #IslandEdition to get your post featured in Island Edition!

COMMUNITY CORNER

🪖 Lest we Forget: Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held Saturday morning throughout the province. If you’re not sure where to go, the Royal Canadian Legion has a tool on its website to help the public find a local ceremony.

📃 Pre-budget consultations: Charlottetown invites residents to participate in shaping its operational and capital budgets for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The operational budget covers daily expenses like supplies and staff wages to provide ongoing services, while the capital budget supports significant, one-time purchases and projects, such as new roads and fire trucks. Share your feedback before November 20 at CharlottetownHall.ca. They actually do read these comments, so have your say!

🎅 Kool Christmas: Kool Breeze Farms invites you to their first Christmas Craft Fair at the garden center, taking place this Saturday from 12 to 5 p.m. Door prizes, holiday treats, crafts and homemade goodies. There’s no charge to attend this fair, which you’ll find at 231 Read Drive in Summerside.

Send a quick message if your organization would like to publish a PSA. There's no charge for these. Max three per-issue.

WEATHER

Thursday

🌧️ H 6°C 🌡️ L 3°C
💨 N 30 km/h, gusting 44

Friday

🌧️ H 5°C 🌡️ L 1°C
💨 W 29 km/h, gusting 44

SUPPORT ISLAND EDITION

If you enjoy Island Edition, please consider supporting this project. 

👥 Share:  Use your unique link to share Island Edition on your social media pages. It's easy; just copy and paste: *|RH_REFLINK|*

⏩ Forward: Forwarding this email to a friend is an even easier way to share Island Edition. You won't get credit for it, but it'll be super helpful!

💸 Donate: Island Edition costs almost $300 a month to maintain. If you want to chuck a few bucks toward the project, please Interac e-Transfer to [email protected] - every penny goes directly to newsletter expenses.

🗣️ Advertise: If you have a great product or service you'd like to promote, consider advertising in Island Edition. If you don't want to fill out the form, send me a quick message or book a call with me.

THANKS FOR READING!