SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. - The proponents of a science and discovery centre in the works for Summerside have decided to continue working towards their goal, despite a group in Charlottetown announcing a similar project for the capital.
The board of directors for the Prince Edward Island Discovery and Research Centre, which is the name of the Summerside project, issued its first statement on the subject this week.
“We have done due diligence and completed our homework. We have a high degree of confidence in our project and believe it is different from the one proposed in Charlottetown and that it will benefit students, adults and tourists for years to come,” read the statement.
The Homburg Institute recently pledged a $9-million gift towards a project it called P.E.I. Science + Discovery, slated for 15,000 square feet of Charlottetown’s Confederation Court Mall.
It said the project would help foster interest in science, technology, engineering, arts and math-related subjects for all ages and provide opportunities for professionals working in those areas to interact and collaborate with the public.
It also said it does not intend to rely on government funding to proceed with its project.
The Summerside project was proposed by the Summerside Y Service Club and the Bedeque Bay Environmental Management Association. The City of Summerside joined the project’s board of directors recently and has pledged its support in the form of a long-term land lease, four acres at the end of MacKenzie Drive, for $1 per year and tax breaks.
Most of the money for Summerside’s project is slated to come from a capital campaign and industry donations, but the proponents have said they will be seeking financial support from government as well.
The project is expected to be mostly staffed by volunteers. It would include a planetarium, research rooms, displays and science-based entertainment options for children, among other things.
Ron Perry, president of the Summerside Y Service Club, said the Prince Edward Island Discovery and Research Centre has been in the works for a long time, and the proponents feel it is the better of the two options.
“Our project has been in development for almost four years and we have confidence that our project is the right fit for the province,” said Perry.