As published on the campaign website of Philip Brown - candidate for mayor of Charlottetown 2010
Charlottetown, August 23, 2010 — Charlottetown mayoral candidate Philip Brown says there is no better time than the present to establish the proposed provincial museum in Charlottetown.
“It is time for governments at all levels to come together and move forward on this initiative,” said Mr. Brown. “The studies have been done, the options have been identified and it is time to make a decision to finally establish a provincial museum in Charlottetown, the provincial capital.”
Mr. Brown said that Prince Edward Island is the only province in Canada without a provincial museum, and its establishment would help to interpret the history, heritage and culture of the province. He said it would also be a major attraction for visitors to the province, citing a recent study by the Tourism Research Centre at the University of Prince Edward Island which found 91 percent of visitors to the province visited a historic site, art gallery or museum.
“A provincial museum would not only fill a void in the province’s cultural landscape, it would also result in significant economic and educational benefits,” said Mr. Brown. “As mayor, I would work closely with the federal and provincial governments to secure an immediate start to this project in Charlottetown which would complement the historic character of the city and become a source of pride for all Islanders.”
Mr Brown said he would like to see the project completed by 2014, the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference.
Mr. Brown said the recent sale of the Dominion Building offers one interesting possibility as a location, although he would not rule out other sites within the city.
“I am very concerned that the present city administration has been dragging its feet on the project for too long and has failed to secure a commitment,” said Mr. Brown. “As mayor, I would make this an immediate priority during my first 30 days in office.”
