THREE RIVERS, P.E.I. - A seaside tourist destination is in the works for Georgetown.
Georgetown Port Inc. and the Georgetown Area Development Corporation are spearheading a project that will include six, 432-square foot rental buildings and an open air theatre near the waterfront on Water Street.
The port purchased two lots of land with the intention of transforming the location into a spot visitors and residents can both enjoy.
“This may or may not make us much money but we feel it’s a great benefit to the town and its tourism profile,” said Tim Mair, president of Georgetown Port Inc.
The buildings will be available to rent from May-September.
Mair said the sheds could accommodate everything from artisans and food vendors to kayak rentals.
“I would love to see something that made use of the fact they have excellent access to the water, so certainly a kayak boat rental would be nice,” he said.
The structures will be located in a semicircle facing an open air theatre, which will be made out of a current building on the land.
“If you wanted to have live music, everybody would have a natural viewpoint for that,” said Mair.
The project is a stepping stone towards the long-term goal of a marina for Georgetown, he said, noting a seventh building will be a wheelchair-accessible bathroom with accommodations for sailors, like showers and laundry machines.
“The idea being, if we get to the marina part, that’s something that’s very required. A lot of guys in small boats who get to shore get to use a laundromat, showers,” said Mair.
He said the wharf in Georgetown is able to handle large cruise ship sizes like Charlottetown but not all of the people on board. He said a marina would dock smaller craft, such as sailboats.
But before any of that, Mair is hoping to get the retail rentals tender out next month with a view for the sheds to be built and in operation by May.
The project is estimated to cost between $300,000 and $400,000 with funds coming from the Georgetown Port, Georgetown Area Development Corporation, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the provincial government.
The design for the project was done by Nine Yards Design Consultants.
How to apply for a retail rental
Georgetown Port Inc. is seeking letters of intent from people or businesses interested in renting a retail space.
Letters of intent should include the name of the proposed business and a brief description of operations.
Letters of intent can be sent to:
Alan MacKinnon, business manager Georgetown Port Inc.
PO Box 5, Georgetown PE, C0A 1L0
Or e-mail: [email protected]
