Efforts to solve the long standing odour problem in the west end of the City of Summerside received a major boost today with the announcement of $115,000 in funding to carry out a scientific investigation of the proposed Summerside West End Development Project.
The announcement was made by Mr. Joe McGuire, MP for Egmont, on behalf of the Honourable Fred J. Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, along with the Honourable Mitch Murphy, Minister of Technology and Environment, and Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart.
"Odour has been a concern in this area for more than fifty years. This assessment is a positive step toward discovering appropriate methods of lessening the problem," said Mr. McGuire. "The federal government is pleased to be part of this process."
The investigation will focus on what effect the development project will actually have on the odour situation. Past investigations have shown seaweed, primarily eel grass, as the cause of the odour. The seaweed collects along the waterfront, due to prevailing wind, tide and current conditions, as well as shoreline structures that interrupt the natural longshore movement of water and associated sediment and plant material.
Minister Murphy sees the assessment as a first step toward resolution of the odour problem. "This assessment will pave the way for in-depth study of the west end project and its environmental effects," said Minister Murphy. "I wish to emphasize that if it is determined the Summerside proposal will not solve the odour problem, this study will identify other options on how to effectively address this long standing issue."
Proposed by the City of Summerside, the west end development project entails the creation of a semi-enclosed salt water impoundment or lake encompassing 121 acres of waterfront along the west end of the city. The City sees this project as not only addressing the odour problem but also creating potential for a recreational boating facility.
"Residents of the west end of Summerside can start to look forward to the end of what has been an unpleasant fact of life for many years," said Mayor Stewart. "In fact, depending on results of the assessment, west end Summerside may well see an economic benefit from the corrective actions taken."
The scientific investigation will tackle the major question of whether the west end project will indeed address the odour problem. It will also address whether the project will have a significant impact on the local shell fishery and whether the planned impoundment would create new water quality problems. The evaluation is expected to start immediately with a final report submitted by May 13, 1999. Once completed, a more detailed assessment of the actual environmental impacts of the development will be required.
A total of $100,000 in funding assistance is being provided by the federal and provincial governments, with ACOA and the Government of Prince Edward Island each providing $50,000 under the Canada/Prince Edward Island Regional Economic Development Agreement. The City of Summerside is also providing $15,000 for the project.