Fate of Kensington Welcome Centre uncertain

The fate of the Welcome Centre in Kensington, P.E.I., is once again up in the air.

After a bumpy season in 2015, the operation of the building was taken over by the Central Coastal Tourism Partnership. But with provincial funding uncertain for 2017, it's unclear whether the tourism office will open it's doors next year.  

No decisions have been made: Mayor

Kensington Mayor Rowan Caseley said no decisions have been made, and all possible stakeholders have been asked to give the fate of the Kensington Welcome Centre some serious thought.

We're not in a decision-making mode, we're in a questioning mode.- Kensington Mayor Rowan Caseley

"The Chamber of Commerce was asked if they could find out from members what they felt was needed and asses the value of the Welcome Centre for both chamber members, and non members," said Caseley.

"The town was asked to discuss it in council, and the Central Coastal Tourism Partnership was asked to … review it again."

Meeting poorly attended

Caseley said a public meeting held this week to offer information on the Welcome Centre was poorly attended, and a seeming lack of support from the community, and local businesses, is not a good sign for the future of the building.

• Kensington Welcome Centre to open by mid-May
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"If they're not willing to or don't feel the value or need is there, and they aren't going to step up and put money into it, that's going to be where it shakes down to," said Caseley.

"We're getting a crossroads where we have to make decisions on which way it's going to move forward."

Caseley said it costs about $45,000 to open the Welcome Centre from May to September, 80 per cent of which has in the past been provided by the province.

He said, in previous years, it's been "a battle" to get that funding, and said the municipality has been warned that this year, it might not be available.

According to Caseley, no new sources of funding appear to be coming forward. But he's hopeful that the community will find a way to make the Welcome Centre viable for 2017 and beyond.   

'We're in questioning mode'

"We're not in a decision-making mode, we're in a questioning mode, and that's good," said Caseley.

"We're asking all the right questions we think, we're looking for answers, and looking for something that says: this is the right way to go, short term and long term. At this stage in the game, I for one am not sure what the right answer is."  

The centre received approximately 9,000 visitors this year, which Caseley says is about the same as previous years.

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