Premier Pat Binns, along with Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea, today joined Transportation and Public Works staff and members of the community in officially opening the Western Service Depot in a ceremony in Alma.
The new 3,600 square foot facility now offers a single point of contact for enhanced Transportation and Public Works services in West Prince which had been previously scattered amongst several different leased facilities. For the first time, services like road maintenance and snow removal will now all be housed under one roof which will improve service delivery and save money.
"The new Western Service Depot will strengthen the quality of services available to the people, businesses and communities of West Prince, helping build the foundation for a safe, prosperous future," said Premier Pat Binns.
The Western Service Depot will now join other existing service depots in Charlottetown, Summerside and Bridgetown in delivering quality services to Islanders in their home communities.
"I'm pleased to help officially open this facility which will complement our existing service depots across the Island and help ensure safe, quality roads for all Islanders to enjoy as we continue to further develop our economy and communities," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea.
Several local construction companies successfully competed for tenders on this project. Some of the local companies included Kildare Construction, G.I.A. Ltd, Gaudet's Electrical, and Red Isle Plumbing & Heating. Using an innovative approach, Transportation and Public Works staff managed the project and utilized existing labour crews to help build this facility, doing things such as the floor and interior finishing which helped reduce project costs further. The total cost for the Western Service Depot was approximately $300,000.