Development Portfolio

Since the early 1970s SRDC has had a significant impact on the course of development in Summerside.  SRDC has left an indelible footprint on the City of Summerside by strategically developing the waterfront as a design landmark. SRDC is responsible for much of the development that has taken place on the waterfront and adjoining land, which helped advance the economic development goals of the City of Summerside.  Examples of the property and infrastructure developments and initiatives led by SRDC include:

Waterfront Developments (1970’s)

Waterfront re-development began with the reclamation of 27 acres along the shorefront in 1972.  Over the next five years, the corporation built the Waterfront Shopping Centre, the Waterfront Office Building, and the Medical Arts Building at 109 Water Street, Eptek Art and Culture Centre and Marina & Yacht Club,which resulted in $10 million of capital investment and 450 jobs on site. 

 

 

 

Harbour Drive

The construction of Harbour Drive and Granville Street Extension in the early 80s cost approximately $4 million. It allowed vastly improved access to port facilities and waterfront land areas for future development and improved traffic flow in the downtown business district.  This traffic corridor was felt to be one of the Corporation’s most satisfactory projects.  This development led to subsequent rounds of private investment including Burger King, Loyalist Country Inn, Linear Park, Harbour Quay Building, CEIC Building and the Search & Rescue facility. 

Spinnakers' Landing

The Summerside Boardwalk Project, named Spinnakers' Landing, opened for business on July 1, 1991.  This project contains approximately 6,000 square feet of commercial space in the form of old style buildings constructed on a boardwalk spanning the former yacht basin.  The Landing offers services directed towards tourism including; craft shops, souvenir and gift shops, food service etc.

 

 

Harbourfront Jubilee Theatre

The Harbourfront Jubilee Theatre opened its doors in 1996, the result of more than a decade of tireless effort with the vision to create a state of the art, multi purpose performing arts facility in Prince County. The theatre, along with the Eptek Centre and the PEI Sports Hall of Fame, is housed in The Wyatt Centre, aptly named after one of the facility's major contributors, Dr. Wanda Wyatt.

 

 

West End Land Assembly

In the mid-1980s SRDC began to assemble land for future development and by 1991 had assembled approximately 300 acres.

 

 

 

Summerside Golf Course

In 1973 the SRDC purchased the Summerside Golf Course and in 1978 constructed a new clubhouse at a total cost of $196,000.  In 1985 Golf Club completed a three year project to improve and upgrade the golf course with costs totaling over $430,000.  Further improvement work followed during the next five seasons with major items including a new storage building, parking lot expansion, kitchen renovations, expanded sprinkler system, addition of a driving range and equipment, construction of new tees and greens, etc. amounting to a further investment of approximately $400,000.  Over a 25 year span (1973-1999) SRDC owned and operated the course making a significant financial contribution to the club.  In 1999 the golf course was sold to private developers.

 

 

 

 

Property Divestiture

In 2005 and 2006 SRDC undertook a major divestiture program resulting in the sale of the following properties to private developers:
2003 - Harbourfront Jubilee Theatre - Transferred to a community organization
June 2005 - Spinnakers Landing and 240 acres of the West- end Land Assembly
August 2005 - 120 Harbour Drive Office Building
February 2006 - Waterfront Shopping Centre and surrounding complex property

Other:

Over the past few years SRDC has transferred various parcels of the West-end land assembly to the City of Summerside to facilitate City development (e.g. Green Shore Park/West-end land infill project; pollution control plant expansion).

SRDC undertook many other roles and initiatives that reflected the broad social and community responsibilities often expected of such an organization in a smaller city. For example, SRDC operated and managed most of the aforementioned projects for some period of time. The Corporation also purchased the former CNR Station Building now home to the Rotary Regional Library, which opened its doors in October 1991and donated the land that is home to the new Community Connections facility off South Drive. The organization also worked with the community to successfully lobby the federal government to locate the Summerside Tax Centre in Summerside.  SRDC has, over the years, supported tourism and community development efforts through such initiatives as the production of a city map and the financial support of many worthwhile community groups.

Summary

The presence of SRDC and SRDC facilities, such as the Waterfront Shopping Centre, Spinnakers' Landing, and Summerside Golf Course, The Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club and the Jubilee Theatre, have contributed positively to the social and cultural environment of Summerside, while the City has benefited economically through property tax revenue, jobs, and higher economic activity.