– The City of Summerside has appointed a new chief of police a 25-year veteran of the force who has served as deputy chief since 2022 has been announced to step into the role being left vacant by the recent retirement of former chief Summerside CAO JP Desrosiers said Blacquiere is an accomplished officer and leader with a deep connection to the community he serves and welcomed him to the new post Subscribe now to access this story and more: Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience and steadfast commitment to community policing make him the ideal choice to lead our police service He has earned the trust and respect of both his colleagues and the wider community,” said Desrosiers According to the city’s press release welcoming the new chief Blacquiere started his policing career in 1999 with the Summerside Police Service as a general patrol officer before advancing and specializing in investigative work with the Prince District Joint Forces Drug unit He also completed three terms as acting deputy chief before his formal appointment in 2022 Blacquiere is an active member of the community coaching minor sports and co-founding the annual Cops for Christmas event Mayor Dan Kutcher also welcomed Blacquiere’s promotion “Chief Blacquiere is a familiar and respected face in our community His dedication to public service and his ability to lead with integrity and compassion reflect the values of our city We are confident that under his leadership the Summerside Police Service will continue to serve our residents with excellence.” Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page The British Virgin Islands is an explorer's dream with more than 60 isles and cays to discover Expert-backed tips and a step-by-step breakdown to ward off these pests We tried it: Filtrete Smart Tower and the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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Cheering on the Winnipeg Jets 39,000 feet in the air33 minutes agoVideo1:48 New PC leader apologizes for party's handling of landfill search, commits to better decorum1 hour agoVideo2:00 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video11:28 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video1:19 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem – Sixty years of electronics sales have come to an end – by June Enman’s Audio Video Unlimited will be closed The Water Street store was current owner Bob Picard’s first job He worked there for a year before moving to Ontario where he continued working in electronics and even started his own production company doing live sound I was always into gadgets when I was a kid and my oldest brother was a radar tech in the armed forces,” said Picard While Picard loved his time at Enman’s and found the work rewarding Picard’s been combating long COVID and other health concerns and figured it was time to let it go “There’s not a lot of profit in electronics It’s the only thing that’s gone down in price.” Enman’s has sold everything from televisions to home audio systems to car stereos and supplied both individuals and businesses before being taken over by Chris MacIntosh and “We’re a staple of the community,” said Picard “It was a tough decision to shut this down I don’t want to work until I’m on my deathbed.” Charles Crowther has worked at Enman’s as a cell phone sales manager he worked for Eastlink and was quick to jump to Enman’s when a full-time position opened and suggested I put in an application,” said Crowther Crowther enjoyed the small shop and the intimacy that came with it including being able to sell the stock they wanted to sell “We always touted that we were the last brick-and-mortar shop you could do this kind of thing in,” he said and stores like Enman’s are falling by the wayside “Technology has changed like crazy,” he said There was no such thing as streaming music Picard attributes Enman’s success to the service that comes with a small He prides himself on going above and beyond for the customer and has known families who’ve bought all their electronics from the store “We ended up with cordless phones because people would call “We’d literally take our cordless phone and walk over to the TV that they purchased – our version of it – and walk through things with them the store has sales to get rid of all its stock – as of early April they had already sold all their televisions and cell phones he knows his health is his top priority – but he can’t imagine staying idle for long “I don’t know if I’m quite ready to retire-retire or I might go to work at someplace a couple days a week “I’ll be busy this summer on the golf course but in the fall I’ll probably be looking for some part-time work.” 3 days agoDuration 6:31Hail and goodbye to the chief: Summerside Police Services leader retires after 45 years with force3 days agoNewsDuration 6:31After 45 years on the job, Summerside's chief of police is retiring. Chief Sinclair Walker joins CBC News: Compass host for a conversation from that city, fresh from a reception in his honour. Charlottetown police are investigating after a Summerside Police Services vehicle was involved in a collision recently Summerside police said that on April 26 at around 8:20 p.m. one of their vehicles was involved in a motor vehicle collision with a civilian vehicle The police vehicle was responding to a call for service involving a person in medical distress but Summerside police said the vehicles involved sustained significant damage Charlottetown police are investigating the circumstances of the collision This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy – Brigadoon Village has been an important part of Catherine Savoie’s life for a number of years N.S.-based organization caters to different kinds of camps for children with chronic illnesses she spent time at its Camp Braveheart – an overnight camp for children with heart conditions – before becoming a staff member herself “The way she could explain it was that everyone was the same,” said Savoie everyone was getting tired more quickly than other children “So she didn’t have to explain that she would need breaks that she could not run as far as everyone else everyone was going through the same struggles After seeing how much of an impact it made on her sister Her first time doing so was at a camp for children with juvenile arthritis she watched the campers grow in confidence who is from New Brunswick but is living in Summerside while she completes her family medicine residency her stint as a volunteer informed the kind of doctor she wanted to be “I’ve seen the difference it makes for a child and for their family and even for all the staff and volunteers that go there just how magical and safe Brigadoon is for everyone,” said Savoie Her passion for the camp is what has led her to participate in this year’s Big Swim – an organized swim across the Northumberland Strait from Cape Jourimain to Borden-Carleton It’s one of three events put on by the organization GIVETOLIVE aiming to inspire people to live healthy lives through fitness and achieving something extraordinary “It’s such a magical place where kids with chronic health conditions get to be more than their diagnosis for the week get the chance to be kids for the week and make friends and memories all while being medically supported by the wonderful staff at Brigadoon.”   “I’ve been wanting to do it since I was roughly 16 “This year’s the first time I actually get the time off to do it.”   As a former competitive swimmer of nearly 10 years While she hasn’t swum competitively since the pandemic she still enjoys swimming for fun and has enjoyed working up the strength for the Big Swim “I try to spend most of my training in the pool and having people that are gonna support you through it.”   Savoie’s specialty as a swimmer was short distances which gives The Big Swim an extra challenge for her though she’s found peace in swimming longer distances and slowly but surely increasing the distance she can swim in one stretch both for the task and to support a worthy cause “I’m excited to see just what a difference we can make for Brigadoon,” said Savoie so no kids are ever turned around for financial reasons Getting the chance to maybe send one or two kids to camp just because I did the swim would be absolutely worth it.”   not criminals | CBC.ca LoadedSummerside's newest police dog chases down emotions Cheering on the Winnipeg Jets 39,000 feet in the air35 minutes agoVideo1:48 – A developer has been approved to renovate and add two storeys to a prominent building in Summerside’s downtown core but concerns remain over whether the new design is a good look for the street The former Scotiabank building at 274 Water St has been vacant for several months since the bank relocated to its new location on Granville Street developer Arsenault Harding Investments Inc has submitted a plan for the future of the building the developer wants to add two residential units to the existing single-storey structure with the remaining ground-floor space devoted to commercial use The additional two new storeys would create 12 more residential units (a total of 14) is not a designated or registered heritage building it is in Summerside’s Heritage District and is subject to some extra protection To secure a building permit the developer needed to have its plans reviewed by the city’s heritage board and approved by council The heritage board reviewed the proposal at its March 7 meeting though with some lingering questions and concerns Council approved the proposal with a vote of 5-1 Comments from councillors were generally positive about the development noting that adding mixed commercial and residential use spaces was a key component of the city’s Urban Core Plan The city has also had problems with vacant buildings languishing in development limbo and becoming eyesores so relief that this will not be the case for this building was also expressed The sole bone of contention revolved around the mock-up designs presented to the city by the developer “I think it’s important that some of the points the heritage (board) members made should maybe be reflected a little more seriously,” said Coun who was also the lone dissenting vote against approving the permit can we not concede to look at finding some material that will help marry and blend the brick stone and the old historic in with new The developer is proposing to leave the exterior of the existing structure largely as is which is essentially a single-storey red-brick box look to the new additions on the second and third storeys The heritage board discussed at length whether it was more appropriate to have the new addition blend in with the current structure and the rest of the street which is predominantly also red-brick buildings says that the current practice for heritage building additions is to make the old and new parts distinguishable from each other so the original piece retains its visible uniqueness Cory Snow also cautioned against getting too nit-picky when it comes to the design of buildings “I just think we need to be very careful when we have people investing in our downtown which we are starting to get significant investment in our downtown that we push back too hard on the colour of the siding because ‘I’ don’t like it,” said Snow noting that it’s called “Historic” Downtown Summerside for a reason and many residents and visitors care deeply about what it will look like into the future Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Cheering on the Winnipeg Jets 39,000 feet in the air36 minutes agoVideo1:48 The City of Summerside has been asked to buy the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex to avoid the local institution being forced into a sale on the open market formerly known as the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club has been operated as a community-governed non-profit for decades It’s also a local watering hole and entertainment venue with the Breakwater Bar and Grill According to a staff briefing council received at its Jan the Silver Fox has been in financial difficulty for some time with a debt load of between $300,000 and $400,000 Negotiations between the Silver Fox governing board and the city have been ongoing since 2023 to try and find a solution things came to a head in November 2024 when Silver Fox leadership advised that the facility was at real risk of no longer being able to support itself financially It asked the city to consider buying the property and operating it as a municipal facility said the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the organization and left it facing spiking costs and reduced revenues restaurants and curling rinks have struggled since COVID and we’re no different,” said Ramsay “The cost of everything has grown …(and) volunteerism is down.” “We decided our best option would be to go to city council and see if they would run it like they run the Credit Union Place.” “We have the best interests for the facility we can work together with them and move this forward,” she said Deputy CAO JP Desrosiers said that when that request was made the city asked for a vote of endorsement from the board of directors of the yacht club the curling club and the facility’s management board the general membership of the Silver Fox was informed of what was happening and asked to take a vote on whether to endorse a city takeover The city is now doing its legal due diligence and expects to receive a report at its February meeting with more details on what would be involved in the buyout Councillors expressed general support for at least investigating the possibility further “It’s always been a cherished facility in our city and I do support moving ahead with the due diligence I think we owe it to the membership and we owe it to the city,” said Coun “What may happen to the property should we not visit this We don’t know what might happen down there if it’s not allowed to remain a curling club It’s scary to think what might happen if this goes to something like a private sale.” became the home of the yacht club in 1972 and the curling rink addition was added in 1982 Former mayor Bill Martin has been a Silver Fox member since the early 90s and said losing the facility would be a huge blow to the community “It’s unfortunate we’re in the position we’re in but there’s no way we could dig ourselves out of it if this (sale) doesn’t happen it will unfortunately go on the open market,” said Martin But he also stressed that if the city does decide to go through with the purchase it would be an opportunity as well It’s nearly impossible to make long-term plans or attract new events when you’re fighting to keep the lights on and the staff paid so if the purchase does go through it would allow the people involved to start focusing more on growing the curling given the history that the city has with sporting events and given the level of competency and aggressiveness that Sports Entertainment Tourism (SETS) and community services staff… have – I could see regattas I could see national curling events … we’ve got the facilities,” said Martin Prince County Hospital staff and patients report that some clients from the Summerside emergency shelter have been threatening their safety Summerside-Wilmot MLA Tyler DesRoches told the legislature April 3 “People that use the shelter services are hanging around the parking lots and approaching people in their cars when they arrive,” said DesRoches “Their safety is a serious concern … their job in health care is already stressful enough and we don’t need to add stress before their shift starts.” Housing Minister Steven Myers responded to DesRoches’ comments saying the province is paying for extra policing near the shelters in Summerside and Charlottetown and offers those struggling with homelessness a place to sleep The facility has 10 beds and has accommodations for couples It also provides showers for individuals who are struggling with homelessness but have not booked a bed and references for support groups and services “We’re doing the best that we can to not impact those that have other work.” residents have voiced similar complaints about clients from the nearby Park Street emergency shelter Reports at public meetings about the issue include loitering trespassing and disturbances from some of that facility’s clients DesRoches wanted to know if the Summerside location has been operating at full capacity Myers said that it has been working as intended the capacity was at 90 to 95 per cent on a nightly basis.” Myers has also clarified that the shelter has not turned anyone away and have looked into improving the service “We’re doing everything we can to keep up with it … we are constantly trying to make our services better We need to take care of our vulnerable population.” A heated back-and-forth exchange between Opposition leader Hal Perry and Myers then took place While Myers was explaining how the province plans to improve the area around the shelter Perry interjected and stated that the shelter’s problems would be solved if the facility remained open 24-7 “I don’t know how you don’t understand this by now,” said Myers “I know you’re not the brightest person in here,” said Myers the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island has done zero – done zero We inherited a complete mess caused by you guys Justin Trudeau had open drug use on the streets Justine Talla is a student in the journalism program at Holland College Top picks for what to watch this month in Canada Summerside police say they arrested two people after receiving a report that Ford Canada had tracked a stolen vehicle to the city the police said that on April 24 at around 8:18 a.m. they received a call from Ford Canada reporting the company was tracking a vehicle that was stolen from the Halifax area Ford Canada told the police the vehicle was at a residence on South Drive in Summerside The police said they went to the residence located the vehicle and arrested a 51-year-old man and a 25-year-old man The police said both men were facing charges related to possession of property obtained by crime CBC LiteSectionsNews • Canada • PEISummerside warns of rolling blackouts as Maritime Electric calls on people to cut power use across P.E.I.Stephen Brun, Thinh Nguyen | CBC News | Posted: February 10, 2025 1:04 PM | Last Updated: February 11 More than 19,000 customers in western P.E.I. affected at height of morning outage Caption: The Maritime Electric substation at Sherbrooke was the centre of attention after a power outage in western Prince Edward Island on Monday. (Laura Meader/CBC) Caption: The City of Summerside owns its power utility, and has added significant wind and solar generation capacity in recent years. The rest of Prince Edward Island is served by Maritime Electric. (Shane Hennessey/CBC) Caption: Nearly 19,000 customers in western P.E.I., including all of Summerside, were left without power for the second Monday in a row. That led utilities to urge customers to conserve energy and speak of the possibility that rolling blackouts might be needed. CBC's Cody MacKay reports on the day's events and some Islanders' uncertainty about the province's power supply. Caption: Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher, shown in a file photo, says the city will open warming centres if the situation deteriorates, but doesn't think that step will be necessary. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC) Caption: At the height of Monday morning's outage, more than 19,000 customers in western Prince Edward Island were without power. (Maritime Electric) Caption: Extended power outages can spell trouble for businesses like Summerside Butcher's Shop, says office manager Angela Waite. (Ken Linton/CBC) .embed_embed__gX4nW button { display: none; }For businesses like Summerside Butcher's Shop extended power failures are inconvenient in another way — it means they could lose customers "First thing that goes through my mind is 'How long is this going to last for?'" said office manager Angela Waite it becomes very much problematic." While Summerside generates its own electricity through wind and solar Kutcher said the city does purchase the additional power it needs from New Brunswick The city then pays Maritime Electric to move that energy into Summerside we'll have to have this ongoing discussion about… making sure we have better energy security — not just here in Summerside but across Prince Edward Island," he said More Stories Like ThisThe related links below are generated automatically based on the story you’ve just read – A longtime Summerside businessman is branching out into an industry that’s a bit off the beaten path – online radio having operated the Mulberry Motel in Summerside for more than 40 years was the founding president of the Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I and has a host of other professional and personal accomplishments to his name especially the nostalgia that comes with classic rock country and jazz from around his formative years in the ‘50s when a friend approached him with the idea of investing in a free radio streaming service it wasn’t just the business model that attracted him – it was the music on offer that convinced him it’s because of my love of music … that’s what really enticed me the most The classics draw me big time … back in the day,” said Reid “It’s my enjoyment that I’ve satisfied by bringing these four streaming services to P.E.I.” Reid has acquired the local licenses for AutoRockRadio.com “Don and I have been friends for many years … we saw an opportunity,” said Gildart “We’re changing the way local music is being delivered to the marketplace.” Originally the brainchild of radio industry veteran Ross Parks of Nova Scotia AutoRockRadio.com is a free streaming radio platform supported by hyper-local sponsorships from the community The short sponsorship segments replace more traditional advertisements you’d hear on conventional radio or the larger music streaming services There are also no log-in or subscription requirements from listeners – a relative rarity in today’s digital marketplace Listeners can either download the AutoRockRadio app scan the QR code with their phone or visit the website itself choose their geographic location and which stream they want to listen to there is a classic rock and a classic country station option Reid said the stations boast 98.2 per cent music content with sponsorship announcements and community events making up most of the remainder He added that they have averaged about 1,000 listeners pay day “The response from everyone has been positive,” he said but added that talking to sponsors has been a bit of a learning experience for both parties since it’s a new business in an uncommon field Part of the reason he got into it was because he is looking for more free time to spend with family Much of his time now is taken up by Reid Holdings Inc. a property management company he started with his son more than 20 years ago He intends to shift more of his time to this new enterprise which he expects will take up less of his time If that time is spent around the musical eras he loves – all the better for him I got an email the other day from someone angry about an article I wrote 11 years ago Mostly about why people do the things they do My critic didn’t say which article prompted them to track me down and write only the subject matter and year it was written “You clearly don’t do proper research therefore you are a joke of a journalist Had to let you know as you made yourself look so stupid At least they wished me well after telling me I’m dumb and bad at my job I did some Googling to try and determine what they were talking about but came up empty I wrote several articles that year on the topic they mentioned several website iterations and a few thousand articles ago I’ve never been able to understand what drives people to reach out to complete strangers or public figures just to say “You’re an idiot thought you should know,” – or something far worse as is all too often the case for many of my female colleagues I can’t think of any other than giving the writer the self-satisfaction that (in their mind) they’ve hurt the other person in some way but if you find yourself doing anything just to hurt someone it’s time to stop and reevaluate some things – maybe talk to a professional about what is actually bothering you Journalists are far from being above criticism If there is an inaccuracy in something I’ve written a good reporter will make every effort to make it right generally respond well to a respectful heads-up that we should take another look at something though society seems to be forgetting that fact a little more every day There is no democracy without an adequately funded free press – and that means being held to a high standard But the news also seems to be one of those industries many people form strong opinions about The reality is that everyone sees the information presented to them through their own biased lens I once wrote an article about former NDP leader Tom Mulcair making a campaign stop in Summerside One castigated me for being a leftist shill who was entirely too soft on Mulcair said it was very unprofessional of me to be so rude and so terribly hard on poor mister Mulcair and I should endeavour to do better in the future Both of those people read the same article and came to dichotomous conclusions about it I think it shows that everyone has an opinion hardly anyone actually knows what they’re talking about and we’re all just out here doing our best So why not keep the discourse civil and we can act like we weren’t raised by wolves The City of Summerside has agreed to buy out the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex and operate it as a municipal facility – for now Council voted unanimously at its March 4 meeting to move forward with the transfer of ownership No exact date for the transfer to officially take place was provided as there are still particulars to be worked out Acting CAO JP Desrosiers was given the discretion to oversee the remaining details The up-front cost to the city has been calculated at $525,000 the Silver Fox facility has been operated by a partnership of non-profit organizations But after years of mounting debts the governing board faced with the possibility of defaulting and losing the building Most councillors who spoke before the vote said that they had received mixed messages from constituents about whether the city should agree to the transfer of ownership The main arguments against doing so were that the city currently has a relatively high debt load and already has some expensive projects on the go and liabilities on the horizon the East-West Housing Corridor and the fallout from the recent electrical shortage There was also a sense that council should not set the precedent of bailing out organizations which find themselves in distress Some councillors said it was one of the more difficult decisions they’ve had to make during their time in council the choice came down to either move ahead or see a landmark local institution shutter and likely sold to a private developer “It comes down to two choices: you either take it over but I’d much rather take it over than see the facility close I think it’s a valuable asset to the city,” said Coun it has put council in a very difficult position “I don’t like the feeling of being put in a position to make this decision on the backs of the taxpayers because things got to the state they are and the yachters and the curlers needed the assistance I’m hoping that moving forward that whatever happens everyone can work together – it’s an amazing facility.” She encouraged any group facing difficulties to reach out to any and all resources for guidance or assistance to avoid getting into a similar situation Nick Cameron said he supported the motion but wanted to see a firmer timeline for when the city might consider selling the facility if it becomes a money pit He suggested a review after the first year of operation and selling off the building if the expected deficit is much higher than expected “I don’t think it would be fair to continue to use taxpayers’ dollars to fund something that is running us a deficit when it’s not something that was ours in the first place.” we should cut our ties and move forward from there we’d recoup the money we put into the building.” The city previously received reports from staff and independent consultants indicating that the Silver Fox’s physical assets are in good condition and a path toward a financial break-even point was possible within three years Mayor Dan Kutcher agreed that selling the facility is a viable option if the takeover does not go as planned but added that he’s hopeful that won’t be necessary He also pointed out that the city has several recreation-focused assets and almost none of them operate at a profit “Those are all costs we bear as a community for … recreation As well as we make investments as a community into things like arts and theatre also that do not provide a financial benefit – but we as a collective here and as a collective in our community have made a decision that is something that is worth spending your money first became the home of the yacht club in 1972 and the curling rink addition was added in 1982 most of them in the living room around the Victorian coal-black soapstone fireplace where everyone would gather as the crackling woodsmoke and its warmth filled the rooms throughout the 19th-century Summerside home But as George and Estelle Dalton reflect on their years and the home’s history there’s a sense of mourning as boxes overshadow spaces that once held so much energy including the fireplace that burned so bright holding back a tear as she walks through the rooms pointing out the few pieces she intends to keep as they downsize due to age and declining health “My kids figured it was time for us to move because there’s a lot of things going on and they wanted us to be safe in a smaller more manageable bungalow in Summerside,” explained Estelle “There’s been some heavy-duty moments while emptying the rooms We offered our three adult children our home and they all live off-Island and have busy careers and families,” adds George The painted blue cedar shingle home with red entryways – a colour associated with hospitality – on Notre Dame Street which will go on the market for sale at the end of May the famous 18th-century surveyor who accurately mapped P.E.I She was married to James Edward Dalton in 1932 including five rental homes in the community,” says George The home on Notre Dame Street was built during the “golden era,” at the peak of the province’s economic expansion in 1867 “This home was left in my mother’s name – especially – due to her age and foresight when my father died in 1966,” he continues noting Dalton had many children from two marriages (the first wife died) “My mother was facing financial difficulty when my father died so she downsized the old pieces from the Lefurgey house (now the cultural centre in downtown Summerside) into this home and she sold the drug store – this is why we have so much furniture.” including the soapstone fireplace and two working oil lamps which has historical significance in the city The Lefurgey house belonged to people who impacted the province into constructing a railway and joining the Canadian Confederation,” explains George The Lefurgey house belonged to the Dalton family from 1924 to 1966 who sold the Lefurgey house to Wanda Wyatt in 1966 as “A lady who knew how to roll up her sleeves and get to work.”  She made the home on Notre Dame Street a welcoming place for family and friends and gave up a room to strangers needing a place to stay at night we continued that tradition,” says Estelle “We participated in the Christmas House Tours in the 2000s and then one Spring House Tour Then we hosted a Remembrance Day Tea for the seniors at Eptek veterans and friends of George’s older sister (a Second World War nurse).”  “The house represented friends and the community,” states George with two bathrooms and a powder room on the main floor are salvaged furniture and décor from heritage family-owned homes and businesses “When you see the Clifton Corner Vault in Samuel’s Coffee House that is from the same Clifton House Hotel (which burned in 1961) that our brick wall in the kitchen comes from including the ceiling’s wooden beams and oversized ornate cabinets,” says George Helen incorporated many heritage pieces into the home including a cast iron wood stove and murals featuring couples dancing mounted into the brick wall from their Samuel Holland Homestead in North Tyron which burned in 1990; then restored by its new owners A bedroom mural painted by well-known P.E.I artist Eddy Schwartz depicts the Samuel Holland Homestead before it burned with the old tire swing George used to play on as a kid The scene is another treasured memory that the couple are saddened to leave behind Then we would sit on this Victorian sofa by the soapstone fireplace and have our shot of brandy at midnight,” recalls Estelle The couple has several relics that family and friends sell or donate to a church up west,” says Estelle George says it’s been his “dream for many years that Summerside should have a military museum” to house his collections dating as far back as the Boer War and between the walls in homes across the city are overloaded with antiques and history We must be a better community in trying to look after these pieces,” urges George George served 29 years in the Armed Forces medical corps and 10 years as a consultant with the Department of Defence and has been helping soldiers struggling with PTSD After years of serving in the military and moving across the country Estelle says that the Notre Dame residence offered them a sense of stability that has created a lasting imprint when you think of the thing you will miss the most about this home it is the Victorian soapstone fireplace because we have many fond memories of people (some no longer with us) laughing and sharing their stories around it,” George reflects with the hope that whoever purchases their home will honour its heritage value Belinda Woods has poured her heart and soul into the Free Store The Free Store’s last day of operation was Feb everything in the Water Street shop has gone out to Islanders in need Woods said the community’s need was great at the onset and there weren’t many other individuals or organizations doing what the Free Store had come to do “If we helped one person that really needed it others have stepped up to help fill similar roles and help support the growing demand Woods believes Summerside and its people will be in good hands I love it because they’re actually getting into hands that need it,” she said That has my heart because my whole goal was always for (nobody) to have to pay.” Seeing all the new resources that have cropped up around Summerside she felt she could do so without leaving people to go without “My husband and I are ten years older,” she said Woods said many patrons would make sure they left things for those who came after “Someone who needs towels will take two,” she said ‘just take some more,’ because I know that they’re in need … They always say While having a platform to lend a hand has been an amazing experience so much of the Free Store owes to her supporters And different businesses have supported us with their end-of-season things,“ said Woods I really believe that anybody who is struggling right now there’s no reason that they can’t look good It’s all about building that confidence back up.” Local businessman David Groom is one of many people who has supported Woods and the Free Store over the years he assisted with Coats for Kids but would also donate items like furniture and lighting depending on what the store needed “Belinda’s done such a great job in the community I just thought there was a need in the city to help out and to help Belinda.” there would be a lot of people who would thank her for what she’s done.” Although she was worried about how the community would take the news of the Free Store’s closure Woods said what she has heard so far has been positive primarily focused on the work she’s done over the last nine years her work is not done – especially with the volunteers she considers a family but I haven’t talked to them yet,” she said and we still want to reach people that need help.” – Something happened in Summerside on April 17 which The mayors of Summerside and Charlottetown along with members of the two city councils and some of their most senior municipal department leaders held a public roundtable to talk about some of the big issues both cities are facing It wasn’t an official council meeting for either group but it had the feeling of something similar facing each other across a conference room at Credit Union Place while Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher and Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown sat between them and jointly chaired the discussion zoning issues and the fiscal arrangement between municipalities and the province The director of one city’s department would get up and talk about what their community was doing on a topic followed by a similar overview by their counterpart after which the mayors and councillors would ask each other or staff questions Given the two communities’ long-standing rivalry as the only cities and largest municipalities in the province it was all a notable display of co-operation that wasn’t lost on those in attendance Brown pointed a finger squarely at his counterpart when asked that question He reached out to … the office of the mayor in Charlottetown Kutcher added that he and Brown have a good relationship and often speak on issues of mutual concern In an effort to strengthen that relationship and extend it to the councils the idea of that night’s roundtable was broached and found traction so you need to be able to develop relationships with others who are going through whatever you’re working your way through,” said Kutcher we bounce things off of each other – so this was a nice way to try something different and I thought it was positive.”  adding that Charlottetown will host the next roundtable An example of the type of discussions that were had would be on zoning Summerside adopted a new official plan and zoning bylaw which proved controversial due to requirements that the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation asked the city to make as a prerequisite to access millions of dollars from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund the ability for developers to build up to four residential units in any kind of zone even those previously reserved for single-family homes “as of right,” proved particularly controversial It garnered an organized push-back from some residents concerned about the perceived loss of property values and unexpected changes to their established neighbourhoods Charlottetown has some of those same changes on its horizon so councillors from the capital were particularly interested in how their counterparts wrestled with that process the public fallout and what ultimately swayed their vote An example of Charlottetown leading so Summerside could follow was when the Park Street shelter came up during a presentation by Deputy Chief Jason Blacquiere of Summerside Police Services and Chief Brad MacConnell of Charlottetown Police Services  Blacquiere noted that his department learned a lot from its counterparts in Charlottetown in preparation for the establishment of Summerside’s emergency shelter on Roy Boates Avenue Charlottetown’s emergency shelter opened several years ago the night’s discussions were about strengthening both communities With all the tension and stress that’s going on between our two countries (Canada and the U.S.) this is the time we have to work together as Canadians but at the local level – that’s what I liked about tonight.” 3 months agoDuration 6:59Here's the latest on Summerside's fight for power independence3 months agoNewsDuration 6:59Since early last week, Mayor Dan Kutcher has been speaking out about Summerside's efforts to control its own electricity. He tells CBC's Sheehan Desjardins that Maritime Electric hasn't given the city a choice about getting its own transmission lines for power. the City of Summerside found itself amid an unprecedented situation the second-largest municipality in Prince Edward Island could not say for sure whether it would have sufficient electricity to meet the needs of its citizens There was a real possibility that rolling blackouts would be needed during daily peak use times of 6 to 10 a.m Both Summerside Electric and Maritime Electric started asking residents to use less power during those timeframes as a precaution to help keep the lights on Municipal facilities were closed early to conserve power and any local businesses that had generators used them to stay operational and reduce their drain on the system Maritime Electric CEO and President Jason Roberts said the company was working to fix the problem as soon as possible their hearts and souls are into it and they are working very hard each and every day to try and get through this,” Roberts said in an interview with the Journal Pioneer Feb What exactly happened on that Monday morning is still being investigated as of the writing of this article But it was known there was an electrical fault at Maritime Electric’s Sherbrooke substation off Route 2 on the outskirts of Summerside One of the facility’s two 50-megawatt transformers was damaged somehow and knocked out of service Maritime Electric technicians responded and started working to assess the damage and make repairs if they could Service interruptions happen all the time and both Summerside Electric and Maritime Electric have dealt with them countless times often working together to do so in the Summerside area But the city realized it was dealing with an extraordinary situation when it received an update from Maritime Electric on the afternoon of Feb Mayor Dan Kutcher said the company indicated that due to the damaged transformer it would only be able to facilitate the transmission of two megawatts of electricity to the city – where the evening before it had been between 20 and 25 megawatts this is unheard of.’ Two megawatts puts at least 4,000-plus households without power in the city,” said Kutcher in a Feb a 12-megawatt wind farm and 10 megawatts of large-scale battery backups it’s carried to the city via the provincially owned subsea cables and on through Maritime Electric’s grid infrastructure — including the transformer at the Sherbrooke substation Summerside has previously tried to build its own transmission lines so it would not be beholden to Maritime Electric carrying power on its behalf The city pays Maritime Electric for the use of its grid and has long argued it could save significant amounts of money by building its own infrastructure and moving the power itself the Island Regulator and Appeals Commission denied the city’s application for a permit to do so stating that Summerside’s application fell short in several areas That decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal It has been Summerside’s position ever since that for the project to move ahead the relevant legislation would need to be changed This puts the onus on the provincial government which has so far expressed no interest in making any amendments and I think people have sort of had enough,” he said “This is why it’s so frustrating for us because it’s outside of our control We can’t go up there and fix their transmission station,” added Kutcher if we had direct access to those publicly owned undersea cables we wouldn’t be in this situation and we would have redundancy and support for the rest of Western P.E.I So instead of being at the mercy of a fragile electrical system The city also has had a standoff with Maritime Electric over the approximately 800 customers the company has inside city boundaries mostly thanks to quirks of history and the redrawing of maps over the years those customers are part shareholders of Summerside Electric and should receive service from that utility It has tried to buy or otherwise seek a transfer of those customers onto city power for years Maritime Electric has so far declined to hand over the customers This is another file at an impasse which the city argues will need attention by the province before it can be resolved Maritime Electric sees the situation differently the courts have settled the undersea cable access question Roberts said that both his company and Summerside Electric pay an access tariff that is collected to help maintain the electrical grid He added that Maritime Electric pays a higher rate of tariff than Summerside the city is considered an “interruptible customer.” That means if it comes down to a choice of getting power to a Maritime Electric ratepayer or supplying Summerside the company is within its rights to throttle down the city’s access to transmission capacity 11 when the city was warned it could only receive a fraction of the power it expected Drastic measures were only avoided because the city and company managed to squeeze enough local generation and outside transmission capacity out of the system to supply customers from both entities But both the city and company acknowledge it was a close call – a few megawatts of power could have meant keeping the lights on or switching to the rolling blackout backup plan So how do we avoid something like this happening in the future Roberts said the city has some choices to make build more generation capacity of its own or pay a higher rate for more secure service “The City of Summerside electric utility could choose to have the same level of service that we buy for our customers and if that’s the case the system will be updated to have the necessary contingencies in place to serve not only us but also Summerside Electric customers,” said Roberts “Another option is they could build or add more generation to their supply as a contingency to be able to supply customers when there are constraints on the system.” there’s a couple of options ahead of (Summerside) that they need to think about and decide moving forward.” Kutcher did not hide his frustration with the situation or with Roberts’ comments We’re talking about direct access (to the subsea cables) so what they are trying to do is get people to talk about just about anything else,” he said there was no word from Maritime Electric on the status of the Sherbrooke transformer thanks to a combination of factors including Islanders heeding the call to reduce their energy consumption Maritime Electric making changes on its end and enough wind to aid local energy generation the city’s power situation had stabilized in the short-term The city was still warning that an electrical shortfall remained a distinct possibility and it may be only a matter of time before rolling blackouts were required Transformers on this scale are complicated pieces of equipment Maritime Electric has said it currently has a transformer on order earmarked for the Woodstock substation It could be redirected to Sherbrooke if needed There was talk of other possibilities for a replacement as well – but every option put a solution at weeks or even months away Summerside has been using its diesel generators heavily the city estimated it had burned approximately $100,000 of fuel per day to help keep the lights on over the previous two weeks That’s almost the equivalent of burning the annual playground budget every day the oldest of which was built more than 60 years ago are usually only turned on for a few hours per month and used sparingly It has been some time since they were called into such heavy service but they are quickly approaching the end of their operational life One of the eight had already failed and was under repair as of Feb 18 The city is currently waiting for a report by Dunsky Energy and Climate which will help inform its decision on how best to replace the generators The city has floated the idea of building new generators capable of burning multiple fuel sources has been in frequent contact with both the city and the company but has been reserved in its comments on the situation The Journal Pioneer requested an interview with Energy Minister Gilles Arsenault “The province remains committed to assisting our Island utilities as they work through this challenging week It is clear that we must collaborate on the long-term work ahead The bottom line as of the writing of this article is that if any more of the city’s generators fail or if electrical demand spikes unexpectedly at the wrong moment When that possibility ends is a matter of how quickly Maritime Electric can fix or replace its transformer in Sherbrooke Cheering on the Winnipeg Jets 39,000 feet in the air39 minutes agoVideo1:48 — A former Summerside councillor who has pleaded guilty to theft over $5,000 will be sentenced next month The court also heard some of the facts of the case for the first time the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee conducted an internal audit on one of its financial accounts after noticing suspicious activity They discovered nearly $13,000 in unaccounted-for expenses had taken funds from the organization’s account This included cash withdrawals and cheques over a number of transactions who confessed she’d made the withdrawals and cashed cheques made out to herself Gallant said she believed she’d only taken between $5,000 and $6,000 the Summerside police received a report from the committee and charged Gallant in April She pleaded guilty in August to one of the two charges against her Gallant was elected Summerside city councillor for Ward 5 in 2022 She was removed from the position by vote of council in June on the grounds that she had missed three regular monthly meetings without cause Crown attorney Chad McQuaid recommended that Gallant receive four to six months in custody Gallant’s probation conditions would include mental health and addiction treatment recommended a conditional sentence of six to nine months Ghiz agreed with the three years of probation and its conditions Attorneys highlighted that at the time of the offence Gallant was struggling financially with her personal account frequently going into overdraft that she is her mother’s sole caretaker and that she has made steps toward paying back the funds – having returned $2,000 as of her sentencing hearing McQuaid also argued that repeated incidents demonstrated pre-meditation Gallant gave a brief statement before the court also a past president of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee said it was the first time she’d heard Gallant apologize “I’m at least thankful that she has acknowledged what she has done,” said Guptill “The veteran’s community has been greatly impacted by what’s happened.” Gallant will appear again in court for sentencing on Dec La Voie de l’emploi – Current Issue – Past Issues Newcomers About Us BluWave-ai was awarded a contract to advance the City of Summerside’s system utility manager software to integrate a new 26‐megawatt solar and battery project in 2021 The company’s focus is on green technology such as renewable energy and electric transportation Their solutions apply artificial intelligence (AI) cloud software to optimize the cost carbon footprint and reliability of renewable and non-renewable energy sources They work with customers such as utilities fleet operators and electricity system operators to improve their energy-related decision-making to decrease costs and their carbon footprint hosted the first solar energy powered concert in North America was held at Credit Union Place and ran indoors at night using solar and battery solutions This event was part of the Canadian Smart Grid AI Center of Excellence at the City of Summerside a shared project with BluWave-ai and Summerside The Center of Excellence works with Summerside’s wind farm The cloud-based AI optimization platform delivered a 100 percent solar powered concert They were able to predict solar production during the day of the concert and store sufficient solar capacity in a battery to cover the projected energy demand BluWave-ai has an office in Ottawa and in Summerside The company is currently looking to hire Software Developers and Quality Assurance Testers in Summerside Graduate and internship opportunities are also available FOR MORE INFORMATIONFor a list of open positions, visit www.bluwave-ai.com/careers Copyright © 2025 PEI EMPLOYMENT JOURNEY • Website by TechnoMedia • Log in — Mixed doubles curling is providing an opportunity for two household names in Canada to continue their competitive careers The husband-and-wife team of Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing are competing in the 2025 Canadian mixed doubles championship in Summerside “It’s wonderful,” Jones told The Guardian in an interview on March 17 “It’s a great format; I love playing with my husband and to be able to come to the Maritimes which is one of my favourite places in the world who retired from four-person curling following the 2023-24 season including appearances at 18 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian women’s curling championships; six world women’s championships; two Olympics “It (mixed doubles provides) a really good balance for me,” said Jones “It was a way to continue to play and keep those competitive juices going “It was hard to do four-person and mixed doubles and be there for my family the Canadian men’s championship; three world championships; one Olympics “Jen and I have really enjoyed the mixed doubles over the years,” said Laing “It’s a fast-paced game; lots of rocks in play which makes it harder and harder every year it seems on me And it’s still fun to compete; we are both competitive obviously and that’s also been good We have a good time and bring the kids sometime Jones said curling only in mixed doubles requires a lot less commitment and time than on four-person teams “When you are playing four-person and mixed doubles “Mixed doubles is definitely a little bit of a lighter schedule feature a good chemistry and get along well on the ice which is kind of great,” said Jones with a smile “It’s just nice for us to be able to do what we love to do together.” Jones and Laing won their first three games at the Canadian mixed doubles championship heading into play March 18 Both players like the style of play in mixed doubles “I just love there are no blank ends and there are always rocks in play and you are always one shot away from a disaster,” said Jones “It’s always interesting and I also get to play with my husband Laing said games feature all-out offence with action every end “I think that leads to entertaining games but also as a player or we are peeling it down’ like in a regular game,” said Laing It’s only 22 minutes aside; it’s a faster game; fewer rocks per end; things happen fast in mixed doubles The City of Summerside is warning residents that due to ongoing repairs to the Maritime Electric substation in Sherbrooke its electric utility will start rotating circuits to help manage power loads The rotating blackouts will begin at about 5 p.m they should expect it to be out for at least two hours before it is restored The outage rotations will pause overnight and begin again on Wednesday The city said that due to the complex and evolving nature of the situation it is unable to provide a set timetable for the rotations A further update will be provided as information becomes available the second phase of renovations to Generation XX is finally underway the youth club and indoor skate park has worked towards expanding its building’s footprint and the pandemic further put a wrench in its plans we were supposed to be (building) a 70-foot (by 50-foot) expansion over the top of the skate park,” said Gordie Whitlock The new space would have been comprised of board rooms But due to growing construction costs the club had to scale the project down to a 35 feet by 50 feet expansion Generation XX has occupied 328 Notre Dame St The building was formerly a curling rink but was unused when a group of local teens and community volunteers took it over cleaned it up and founded Generation XX as a place for local kids to hang out While the building has been maintained and upgraded since then what you’re going to see is 2,000 square feet of nothing but stuff for kids,” said Whitlock it’s just gonna be a free place for kids to come after school but mainly just to have fun and (have) a place to go that’s safe and supervised.” the new space will feature tables for pool is excited for the renovations to be completed The 17-year-old has been going to the club for the last four years A friend asked her to volunteer at an event and it didn’t take Poirier long to fall in love with the space and organization “Having the space at Gen X has meant absolutely everything to me,” Poirier wrote It’s given me so many connections and provided me with a place where I am always welcome and where I feel that I am loved and appreciated.” is a space to hang out with her friends after school or decompress by herself after a long day she and other members were asked what they’d like to see come of the renovations Her focus would be to provide more opportunities for activities and ideally draw in more engagement “I’d love to see more youth coming in the doors of the club to experience the environment that Gen X has and to see the new renovations when they are complete,” said Poirier “I’m sure that (Whitlock) will take those ideas and try his best to make them happen.” Phase 2 of the renovation is expected to cost around $900,000 The club has received $700,000 through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) and will have to make up the rest itself not-for-profit group that mainly does fundraising,” said Whitlock the club has approached the city for some financial assistance It also plans to seek sponsorships from local businesses and community groups to lend a hand and has also started a Chase the Ace fundraiser the club is still hosting most of its usual programming; Whitlock hopes the skate park will be back in operation by spring or early summer “We’ll invite all the sponsors that helped out along the way and kids from yesteryear.” 4 months agoDuration 2:38Take a tour of the Black Islanders history exhibit in Summerside4 months agoNewsDuration 2:38A historical exhibit now on display at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside features photos provided by families of Black Islanders. The plan is to take the display across the province. CBC's Nancy Russell went to check it out. Cheering on the Winnipeg Jets 39,000 feet in the air41 minutes agoVideo1:48 As Kadriana Lott jumped into the arms of her husband and teammate had just pulled off a thrilling 9-8 extra-end win over Marlee Powers and Luke Saunders of Halifax in the gold-medal game of the 2025 Canadian mixed doubles curling championship Friday “It’s always a great feeling winning a final like this,” Kadriana told The Guardian in a post-game interview “You are playing all the best throughout Canada and to come back again after last year and … being two-time Canadian champions Colton agreed the emotion built up throughout the game played before a big crowd at Credit Union Place’s Gerard (Turk) Gallant Arena “You can feel those nerves kind of creeping in towards the end,” said Colton “I think it’s that point where you have to breathe on through it stick together and props to Luke and Marlee for playing a wonderful game.” Kadriana added the close result added to the post-game emotion “Playing an extra end in a final means it’s a great game but playing an extra end can catch the nerves a little bit,” said Kadriana “We’ve been in situations like this before where you just have to keep playing strong and making those shots.” the Lotts will represent Canada at the 2026 world mixed doubles curling championship Team Lott becomes the first repeat Canadian mixed doubles champions after winning the 2024 national title in Fredericton It marked the fourth time the Lotts played in the mixed doubles gold-medal game Colton delivered the key shot of the extra end with his final rock and the team’s second-last shot in the eighth end counting shot rock with a piece of the button Colton’s shot just got by a guard out front to sit as shot rock When Powers’ attempt went wide on the final shot for her team Kadriana did not have to throw her last rock and I also knew it was going to curl,” said Colton “On a weight standpoint it was really good and line-wise you hear her hollering – you could hear the pitch in the voice – and you sweep harder Asked her thoughts from the house calling the shot Kadriana said she was hoping Colton could sweep the rock hard enough to get it by the guard “I know I can count on him; he’s a great sweeper,” said Kadriana who completed play in the six-day event with a record of 10-1 (won-lost) Team Lott scored three in the first end and held leads of 3-2 Powers and Saunders tied the game twice – 6-6 in the sixth end and 8-8 in the eighth end to force an extra end some bad ones but we kept in there and made those huge key shots we needed to,” said Kadriana “We figured out the ice better towards the last half of the game; kept in there; kept playing strong when we needed to and we were just hoping for that final finish.” Team Lott scored three with hammer in the eighth and final end to defeat Kira Brunton and Jacob Horgan 6-5 Team Lott defeated Paige Papley and Evan Van Amsterdam 10-4 and Nancy Martin and Steve Laycock 9-4 “There were definitely some games that we didn’t have our best stuff but we always found a way to win and make those key shots.” Their road to the final included a playoff wins over Brett Gallant of Charlottetown and Jocelyn Peterman 6-5 and 6-4 versus the team of Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres on March 20 and a 5-4 semifinal win over Melissa Adams and Alex Robichaud “(Powers and Saunders) are phenomenal players and I knew it was going to be a hard one,” said Colton “They beat off two of the top teams in the country to make it to the final It was sticking with that patience and motoring through (that was the key).” P.E.I.’s husband-and-wife team of Edward and Jenny White completed round-robin play 3-4 Play in the 2025 New Holland Canadian under-20 curling championships was scheduled to get underway Sunday A total of 36 teams – 18 women’s and 18 men’s – will compete through until the championship games on March 30 Games are taking place at the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex and Credit Union Place’s Gerard (Turk) Gallant Arena – A new thrift store nearly two years in the making is finally open in Summerside Mission Thrift Store opened its second location in P.E.I. “We have so much product donated by the people of P.E.I.,” she said “We have a lot of storage in Charlottetown to help with that … why don’t we open another store?” Schroder has been in the general manager position for five years She loves the opportunity to meet different people – including staff the thrift store supports the Bible League of Canada Net profits from the shop go toward buying bibles for their missions in 40 countries “It buys bibles in the language of the country that they’re going,” said Schroder Heleena Luddington has worked at Mission Thrift since October and is excited for the Summerside location to open I’ve been Christian since as long as I can remember,” said Luddington who also support devotions and stuff like that.” Luddington specifically focuses on the book section where she says mystery is the most popular genre on the shelves and that’s why I’ve put it right there,” said Luddington pointing to the shelf in front of her “There’s been a few genres that haven’t really shown up since they can’t really read the smaller text.” women and children – including shoes – or toys or household items or linens All the items are donated by people in the community “There’s something for everybody,” said Schroder that they had bought and didn’t use for one reason or another.” In the days and weeks leading up to the opening Schroder said she’s heard plenty of community enthusiasm eager to step inside a new place to thrift in town “We’re pretty excited to be here and to be able to offer what we can to the community,” said Schroder The City of Summerside has been encouraged to help find a permanent warming place for its unhoused population to visit during the day Council received a presentation recently from Elysha Whitlock executive director of The Village – Summerside a local non-profit group of volunteers who advocate for and actively assist local people who don’t have access to shelter were expected to plummet below –20C with the wind chill She told council The Village had been busy handing out ice-fishing tents and heaters to people in the community who would otherwise face dangerous nights and days outdoors She said there are about 27 people in Summerside living in tents this winter Whitlock praised the opening of the Summerside Emergency Shelter a 10-bed low-barrier facility that opened last year at 25 Frank Mellish Dr after much effort but reminded everyone that there is more work to be done but the risk of frostbite and other environmental hazards are just as real during the day as they are at night charge devices and maybe have a coffee during the day would go a long way to helping the community and prevent potential costs to the health care system down the road “Without access to a warming centre during the day many individuals are forced to seek shelter in unsafe places “I believe that our city and our community has the resources and capacity to do more.” Those councillors who spoke following Whitlock’s presentation were supportive of the idea and several mentioned that the province should be consulted about extending hours at the emergency shelter at least during particularly cold events in the short term Hours at the shelter were extended for the late January cold snap but only for people already registered as guests of the shelter The city has also offered temporary shelter during extreme weather events but those responses have usually been on a case-by-case basis and only when large groups of people are potentially at risk “I think we too thought that two years ago that would be a spike (in homelessness) and then it would settle It certainly hasn’t settled in our community or in other communities across the country,” said Mayor Dan Kutcher Kutcher said the city can certainly continue its dialogue with the province about the new emergency shelter and what sort of additional low-barrier services like a warming centre could operate there He also mentioned that there is some research going on behind the scenes to get a better handle on what the current needs are in terms of homelessness in Summerside it will help guide what long-term steps are taken next whenever we are armed with more data we can push those we need to to get more supports for our most vulnerable,” said Kutcher “How we treat our most vulnerable really reflects what kind of community we are – and we are a fantastic community that looks out for each other.” Summerside’s chief administrative officer (CAO) is stepping down to take a leadership role at the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) Gordon MacFarlane will be moving on to take the position of IRAC commissioner Mayor Dan Kutcher thanked MacFarlane for his service and wished him well in his new position “Gordon has been a highly respected leader and a key contributor to our organization serving first as director of human resources and legal affairs then as deputy chief administrative officer and ultimately as chief administrative officer His unwavering commitment and leadership have left a lasting and meaningful impact on the City and the community we serve” MacFarlane will continue as the city’s CAO until March Deputy CAO JP Desrosiers will assume the role on an acting basis until a permanent replacement is found CBC LiteSectionsNews • Canada • PEISports teams, city officials cross their fingers for quick repairs to Summerside's damaged domeStephen Brun | CBC News | Posted: February 25, 2025 10:00 AM | Last Updated: February 25 Rugby and soccer players have come to rely on the structure for winter training Caption: Mary Jane Webster, president of the P.E.I. Rugby Union, says Summerside's sports dome simulates a game-like experience for players who practise there in the off-season. (Connor Lamont/CBC) Caption: The dome's servers temporarily disconnected last week while on backup power generation, which led to a slight deflation of the facility's roof. (Daniel Brown/CBC) Caption: 'While it might look simple on the outside, there [are] a lot of different moving parts mechanically,' Tanner Doiron, event and communications manager for the City of Summerside, says of the dome. (Daniel Brown/CBC) Caption: The deflation of the dome's roof caused damage to some of the cables that support it. (Daniel Brown/CBC) .embed_embed__gX4nW button { display: none; }Jason Eden said its Wednesday leagues have had to cancel one game so far while Saturday practices have been moved to Stratford He said there is some flexibility in scheduling so long as the dome isn't closed for too long "Everybody's just kind of sitting around wondering: 'How long will this facility be offline?' I think we'll get more into that concern from the players if it looks like it's extended beyond the one-week to two-week period," Eden said "The first… goal for us is always to find a way to get those players onto a field somewhere because our primary focus is them and their training." More Stories Like ThisThe related links below are generated automatically based on the story you’ve just read The City of Summerside is working on a multi-year funding arrangement with the community’s two largest theatres The proposed agreement includes the Harbourfront Theatre and the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada The city is a long-time financial contributor to both organizations most often through its community grant program That process requires applicants to make an annual proposal which must be vetted and is not guaranteed to result in funding If this agreement is signed both theatres would receive $90,000 each annually for the next five years The total cost to the city would be about $900,000 over the term The proposed annual amount is up slightly from the $87,000 both organizations have received annually in recent years There would still be reporting requirements for both groups to the city with 10 per cent of each year’s payment held in reserve until those prerequisites are met – but the idea is that both organizations would be able to make more long-term plans with stable funding and stop having to put resources into applying annually There is also wording in the agreement to allow the city to pull the funding Both organizations would be subject to the same agreement because it wanted to include language to encourage both theatres to work collaboratively whenever possible The city has toyed with the idea of making multi-year agreements with some of its major long-time grant recipients for a while and it was decided the two theatres would be the first to do so but other organizations could be offered similar deals going forward “We provide significant operating grants to these two organizations We will be looking at Boys and Girls Club and Generation XX next (But) we’re not sure if that will be before the budget is passed,” noted Kristen Dunsford said both theatres have made significant contributions to the community for many years so hopefully this agreement will contribute to their ability to keep doing so for many more to come “These two mainstay organizations are here they draw in a lot of different groups and entertainment without having to apply every year … that (for) four or five years they have that sustainable amount – they know what they have to work with,” said McColeman Council will make a final decision on whether to approve the funding arrangement at an upcoming monthly meeting – Canada Day celebrations have never been more important than they are in 2024 The marking of our national birthday is a way to bring people together and acknowledge what makes the country special That’s why the city is bringing Canadiana favourite Blue Rodeo for a free downtown concert as part of this year’s July 1 celebrations “We’re certainly in challenging times in Canada and these are the times where we wrap ourselves in the flag and celebrate what makes us unique and special,” said Kutcher “Is there any sort of bigger Canadian band that represents all things good about who we are as a nation than Blue Rodeo the city has taken a look at all its events and set out to try to make its Canada Day celebrations the best they could be Kutcher highlighted Summerside-born singer Alli Walker’s well-attended performance last year as one example “We started to build a path towards celebrating local and Canadian music and starting to establish that festival atmosphere right in our downtown,” said Kutcher P.E.I.’s Tourism Minister Zack Bell said he was excited to attend the concert’s March 10 announcement praising Summerside as a great tourism and event host Both the province and federal government are contributing financially to the city’s Canada Day festivities they do such a great job of trying to bring these high-calibre events to the province,” said Bell “I know that Canada Day is a celebration that but Summerside is really stepping up their game.” “(Summerside is) never really satisfied with the status quo and hopefully continuing on and trying to make it bigger each year.” The end of June and beginning of July are shaping up to be a busy few days in the city this year Blue Rodeo’s free show will take place just a day after Air Show Atlantic’s visit to Slemon Park on June 28 and 29 It is working closely with francophone and multicultural communities to expand its offerings in an effort to draw people to celebrate in the city Summerside’s Canada Day festivities will once again take place on Heather Moyse Drive which will be closed for the event near Spinnakers’ Landing