as published in The Guardian - Thursday, March 15,2007
By DAVID STEWART
The City of Charlottetown is the latest community to throw its hat into the ring when it comes to preserving and displaying provincial heritage.
Council voted 6-2 Monday to ask the provincial government to temporarily suspend plans to build an artifactory in Murray River.
While the resolution didn't spell it out, it was clear from council's public , meeting that the perfect place for a provincial museum and artifactory I would be in the capital city.
About 150 people turned out for a public meeting recently at Murphy's Community Centre (formerly the Basilica Recreation Centre).
Coun. Kim Devine, chair of planning and heritage, said there was a significant consensus that the museum needs to be centrally located.
"There are no shovels in, the ground yet," Devine said, noting that 75 per cent of the items scheduled to be stored at the Murray River artifactory are from Charlottetown.
The Institute ofIsland Studies has been holding public meetings across the province dealing with the issue of a provincial museum and the overnment's controversial decision to build an artifact storage facility in Murray River.
The concern most people have is if a warehouse is built to store artifacts in Murray River, the chances of an actual museum, which would displaythose items being built in the eastern P.E.I, community are small.
Paul H. Schurman, who has a long association with museums and heritage on Prince Edward Island, said recently the artifactory and the museum should be a single facility and that a central provincial location would be the best way to go to make it easily accessible for all Island residents.
"It's a real shame if this city loses this opportunity," Devine said.
Couns. Cecil Villard and David MacDonald voted against the resolution. Villard said the city should have thought about this course of action long ago.
"Here we are engaging in debate," Villard said. "If we wanted a provincial museum we should have asked for one (in the first place). Why didn't we pay (government) the courtesy of going down and talking to them? I don't know whether we should be deciding what's best for the province."
In September, Mayor Clifford Lee sent a letter to Premier Pat Binns outlining his concerns about an artifactory in Murray River.
Devine said if the artifactory is allowed to go ahead, the chances of a museum in Charlottetown are nil.
Coun. Mitchell Tweel said he's concerned the resolution will create a false expectation among- Charlottetown residents.
"(Stratford MLA) David McKenna said land has been purchased and plans have been drawn up," Tweel said. "Is this a game of smoke and mirrors?"
Devine said the city wasn't attempting to play politics, that it was acting on behalf of its residents who voiced concern. at public meetings in the capital
She said Charlottetown would be the logical choice for a variety of reasons - population as well as the number of schools in the area that could visit for educational purposes.
dstewart@theguardian.pe.ca
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