JEERS: To P.E.I. sports fans, especially curlers, for their lack of support for the Road To The Roar Pre-Trials event at Credit Union Place in Summerside over the past week. The event wrapped up Sunday where 14 men’s and 14 women’s teams battled for the final two qualifying spots in the Olympic team trials in three weeks time in Ottawa. The talented competition was intense among some of the top teams in the country but Summerside and other sports fans were lukewarm in support. It’s not a good signal to send about the much-hyped sports support from the city and province when bids are made for such prestigious events in the future.
CHEERS: To rinks and other recreational facilities on Prince Edward Island that have healthy food options on their menu. You know, items from the good side of the menu. Perhaps milk rather than pop, or fruit and vegetables rather than rink fries and onion rings. Here’s some free advice to those facilities - you have a captive audience, the people are hungry and they will eat whatever you have on offer. Help build a healthier future. As a society, we have to stop making it difficult for people to make the right choices.
CHEERS: To the Confederation Centre of the Arts for selecting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the recipient of the Symons Medal for 2017. The medal recognizes a distinguished person who has made an exceptional contribution to Canadian life. The award will be presented to Mr. Trudeau at Confederation Centre on November 23. It seems fitting that the PM is welcomed to the Birthplace of Canada during this significant year commemorating the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation.
CHEERS: To the winners of the 30th annual Prince Edward Island Environmental Awards which recognized devoted Islanders for working to protect our natural environment. The winners were selected by the Environmental Advisory Council in two categories: Organization and School. The winners in this year’s Organization category awards are Kensington North Watersheds Association (KNWA) and Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society (GEBIS). This winning school is Three Oaks Senior High School in Summerside.
CHEERS: To the City of Charlottetown, and its partner, the Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum, for creating an historic exhibit, entitled Lest We Forget, to honour the sacrifice and service of those that defended our country. The exhibit includes a variety of historic photographs depicting the City of Charlottetown and its citizens during wartime. This is the latest installment of a historic photo exhibit series in the windows of the Planning and Heritage Department at 233 Queen Street. The Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum has provided selections from its vast collection of images, as well artifacts from WWI and WWII. The exhibit runs until December 1st.
CHEERS: The 10th edition of the P.E.I. Fall Flavours Festival, which saw record ticket sales, visitors and community engagement. The month long event saw ticket sales up almost 8 per cent over 2016, with more than 40 different events taking place from Sept. 1 to Oct. 1. Strong off-Island participation continued to grow, with 52 per cent of patrons from out-of-province compared to 48 in 2016. In 2017, more than 40 professional Island chefs participated in Festival events, with 12 visiting guest hosts. Fall Flavours is a major reason for strong growth in tourism in September over the last few years and enhances P.E.I.’s reputation as a world-class culinary destination. The Festival also welcomed new title sponsor Sobeys this year.
