Summerside, Prince Edward Island

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Summerside
nickname =
settlement_type = City
motto = The Garden of the Gulf


imagesize = 300px
image_caption = Waterfront development at Summerside


imagesize = 275px
pushpin_

pushpin_mapsize = 220
map_caption =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Canada
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Prince Edward Island
|subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Prince County
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Basil Stewart
leader_title1 = Councillors
leader_name1 = Bruce MacDougall, Garth Lyle, Vance Bridges, Brent Gallant, Ron Dowling, Norma Diane McColeman, Barry Chappell, Cory Thomas
leader_title2 =
leader_name2 =
leader_title3 =
leader_name3 =
leader_title4 =
leader_name4 =
established_title = Founded
established_date = 1800s
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 = April 1, 1877 (town)
established_title2 =
established_date2 = April 1, 1995 (city)
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 28.36
population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_note =
population_total = 17000
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = Atlantic (AST)
utc_offset = -4
timezone_DST = ADT
utc_offset_DST = -3
latd= 46|latm= 23|lats= 36|latNS=N
longd= 63|longm= 47|longs= 25|longEW=W
elevation_m = Sea level to 29
elevation_ft = 0 to 95.1
website = http://www.city.summerside.pe.ca
postal_code_type = Canadian Postal code
postal_code = C1N
area_code = 902
blank_name = Telephone Exchange
blank_info = 303, 315, 432, 436, 438, 439, 724, 888, 954
blank1_name = Total private dwellings
blank1_info = 5,981
blank2_name = Mean household income
blank2_info = $38,688
blank3_name = NTS Map
blank3_info = 011L05
blank4_name = GNBC Code
blank4_info = BADSZ
footnotes =

Summerside (2006 pop. 14,500Statistics Canada. 2006. [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1103025&Geo2=PR&Code2=11&Data=Count&SearchText=summerside&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= Summerside Community Profile] ] ) is a Canadian city in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is the second largest city in the province and the principal municipality for the western part of the island. Summerside was officially incorporated as a town on April 1, 1877 and reincorporated as a city on April 1, 1995.

History

The land occupied by the present city was settled by members of the Mi'kmaq Nation for centuries. The first settlers of European descent would have been a limited number of Acadians during the early 1700s. The community saw its first permanent European settlement in 1840 when a wharf was constructed and a road was built to St. Eleanors, which was then the shire town of Prince County (after the failed settlement at Princetown). Joseph Pope soon built a shipyard at the wharf, and the town began to grow.

The arrival of the Prince Edward Island Railway in 1872 saw Summerside became a seaport connecting Prince Edward Island with steamship service to mainland railway connections at Shediac, New Brunswick. The port grew into an important import/export facility for all manner of consumer goods, as well as the Island's agricultural exports such as potatoes.

Shipbuilding went into decline by the early 20th century and Summerside transitioned to become a service centre for the trading of fox pelts. The town grew during the 1940s after the Royal Canadian Air Force built RCAF Station Summerside on the outskirts of the town. The base (renamed CFB Summerside in 1968) closed in 1991 and has been converted into a business park named Slemon Park. The federal, provincial, and municipal governments have undertaken community economic development initiatives in an effort to diversify the regional economy. The community's reincorporation in 1995 coincided with municipal amalgamation which saw the adjacent communities of Wilmot, St. Eleanors and Sherbrooke merged with the larger town to form the new city.

Geography

Summerside's waterfront is situated on Summerside Harbour along the island's southern shore fronting the Northumberland Strait. The city occupies 28.36 square kilometres on a 4 km wide (citation needed) isthmus separating the Northumberland Strait from Malpeque Bay, a sub basin of the Gulf of St. Lawrence; this is the narrowest part of Prince Edward Island.

Neighbourhoods

The city's neighborhoods vary from working class (especially in the outlying regions) to upscale and affluent (near the downtown area and parts of the suburban areas). A number of stately Victorian homes near downtown have been converted into bed-and-breakfast businesses. Summerside is well known throughout Canada for its splendid nineteenth century and early twentieth century residential architectureFact|date=December 2007.

Economy

Large employers in the city include the Summerside tax centre, from which the Canada Revenue Agency administers the Goods and Services Tax (or GST). Atlantic Turbines, which manufactures and repair parts for aircraft is an important employer in the Slemon Park business park. Slemon Park also includes other large employers including Testori Americas and Honeywell Engines and Systems. The neighbouring community of New Annan is home to two large Cavendish Farms [ [http://www.cavendishfarms.com Cavendish Farms] ] frozen foods processing plants which is the province's largest private sector employer.

Summerside has been aggressive in courting new business opportunities and has created an Economic Development Office for the purpose of encouraging investment in the city. [ [http://www.investinsummerside.com/main.cfm/ Invest in summerside.com] ]

The Summerside area was at one time home to the world's largest concentration of Tame Silver Fox farms. This is highlighted at the Silver Fox Museum. [ [http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/PrinceEdwardIslandHarvest/fox_e/index.html/ Silver fox Museum] ]

The city of Summerside has its own electric generator [All News Radio. January 30, 2008. [http://www.680news.com/news/national/article.jsp?content=n0130170A Troops could be called in to help thousands without power in P.E.I.] ] to deal with power outages. This is useful as most of the province's normal electricity comes from the mainland.

Government

Basil Stewart, a former police officer, is the current mayor of Summerside. He won his eighth consecutive term in November, 2006 and has held the office for over 2 decades.

Education

Summerside's public schools include four elementary schools (Elm Street, Greenfield, Parkside and Athena Consolidated [ Elementary Schools: [http://www.edu.pe.ca/elmstreet/ Elm Street] , [http://www.edu.pe.ca/greenfield/ Greenfield] , [http://www.edu.pe.ca/parkside/parkside_elementary_school_histo.htm Parkside] and [http://www.edu.pe.ca/athena/ Athena Consolidated] ] ), two middle schools (Summerside Intermediate [ [http://www.edu.pe.ca/sis/ Summerside Intermediate] ] and Athena Consolidated), and one high school (Three Oaks [ [http://www.edu.pe.ca/threeoaks/ Three Oaks High School] ] ).

Holland College maintains two campuses in Summerside, one in the downtown core which includes a marine training centre, and another in the Slemon Park business park which includes the Atlantic Police Academy.

Medical services

The city is home to the Prince County Hospital, [ [http://www.gov.pe.ca/infopei/index.php3?number=11189 Prince County Hospital] ] the second largest hospital in the province.

Attractions

The Summerside Raceway [ [http://www.summersideraceway.pe.ca Summerside Raceway] ] is a standardbred harness racing track which is adjacent to the Credit Union Place, [ [http://www.city.summerside.pe.ca/residents/recreation/wellness.cfm Summerside Wellness Centre] ] the largest indoor sports facility in the province with a large hockey arena seating 4000 and fitness facility. Other attractions include the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts [ [http://www.collegeofpiping.com College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts] ] the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club, [ [http://www.silverfox-pei.com Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club] ] the Summerside Golf & Country Club, [ [http://www.summersidegolf.com Summerside Golf & Country Club] ] the PEI Sports Hall of Fame [ [http://www.peisportshalloffame.ca PEI Sports Hall of Fame] ] and Spinnaker's Landing. [ [http://www.summersidewaterfront.com Spinnaker's Landing] ]

The city has recently incorporated several waterfront industrial sites that were abandoned by the railway and marine terminal during the 1990s into new parkland. A major reconstruction of the west end seawall has resulted in a new boardwalk for residents and visitors along the waterfront.

Notable residents

Summerside is the birth place of current NHL player Steve Ott, and is home to former NHL players John Chabot, Gerard Gallant, Errol Thompson, Doug MacLean, and Forbes Kennedy as well as Canadian recording artists Nathan Wiley and Al Tuck.

Summerside was home for three years to the fictional Anne Shirley of the Anne of Green Gables series by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Media

Summerside has one radio station, FM 102.1 CJRW-FM, which plays an adult hits format. CJRW is the only commercial radio station in the province whose studios are located outside of Charlottetown. Summerside is otherwise served by media based in Charlottetown. CBC Television has its Prince County bureau situated in Summerside.

Summerside's daily newspaper is "The Journal Pioneer".

Law

Summerside City Police Services patrol the city. Approximately 35 officers are on the force. The East Prince Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) also have their headquarters in Summerside assist in patrolling Summerside and the surrounding area. Prince County House is situated in downtown Summerside and serves the Prince County district.

References

External links

* [http://www.city.summerside.pe.ca/ City of Summerside]