GOVERNMENT AND DEVELOPER REACH AGREEMENT ON O’LEARY CORNER

West Prince Graphic
Sept 4, 2002

 

APM Group president, Tim Banks is delighted with an agreement reached with the Provincial Department of Transportation and Public Works, that will allow his development at O’Leary Corner to proceed. The Island government has signed an agreement with the Charlottetown developer stating that they will install traffic light at the intersection of the Veterans Memorial Highway and O’Leary Corner, when his proposed development is completed.

 
Deputy Minister of Transportation Steve MacLean said his department had been working with the developer’s engineers for some time to come up with a solution that would enable the development to go ahead, but current traffic at the corner just does not warrant signalized traffic lights.

The department does recognize, however, that the traffic situation will change once the proposed development is completed. “Absolutely, lights will be installed if  the traffic warrents it,” he said.  Mr MacLean said on Aug 6, a letter was signed for Mr Banks, stating that on completion of  the proposed 80,000 square foot development, installation of the signalized traffic lights will be finished...

    

All underground wiring was installed when work on the corner was being carried out and only the light poles and above ground wiring and sensors will have to be put in to complete the project. “It just made sense to put the underground wiring in now when the work was being done,” said the deputy minister.

   

Mr Banks is happy with the new deal reached with the provincial government. “I’m excited to be able to go out with confidence and talk to people who will become out tenants,” he said.  Originally government had said they would not install traffic light at the corner when improvement were being made this summer.

   

Mr Banks, who is also president of the PEI Liberal Party, had argued that without signalized lights at the intersection, national tenants were not interested in locating at the new development in O’Leary Corner. Pleased with the turn of events, the developer could only speculate at the government’s decision. “All I can say is, common sense prevailed at the end of the day.”

   

He said former Transportation Minister Don MacKinnon and government members had looked at what he has done with his development in Montague and it had no doubt helped with their decision to approve the traffic light for O’Leary Corner so that his project could go ahead.  “We’ve also had lots of calls from people up West who wanted the development to proceed,” he said. “We’re very happy with the government’s decision.”

    

Mr Banks said, although he is disappointed that the proposed development is not already completed, negotiations will begin immediately to find tenants. The developer said at this time he expects work will begin on the site next summer with a start up date for the summer of 2004.

The deputy minister said the provincial government is anxious to improve economic development in West Prince and is pleased they could reach an agreement that would satisfy the developer’s needs