Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., wants visitors to see beyond the bridge
Community looks for ways to attract visitors now that bridge 'hoopla' has died down
Many people know Borden-Carleton as the first town you hit when you take the bridge to Prince Edward Island.
But residents and local business owners say the area has a lot to offer for those who don't just pass through.
The community wants to increase its profile as a tourist destination. A local group recently received a grant from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to hire a consultant to look into tourism options for the area.
I think after the bridge opened, Gateway Village was built, and there was a big hoopla about that, and then it kind of died down.– Jeannette Arsenault
"I think after the bridge opened, Gateway Village was built and there was a big hoopla about that, and then it kind of died down, so this community has been kind of … just kind of there," said Jeannette Arsenault, co-chair of Borden-Carleton's Strategic Tourism Expansion Program.
The south shore area boasts some of the best beaches on the Island and is home to fascinating marine and railroad history, Arsenault says.
The group is hosting a public meeting Tuesday night to start brainstorming ideas on what attractions or products could make visitors want to spend more time in Borden-Carleton.
"It is the entry point for probably 90 per cent of the tourists to P.E.I., so I think it's really, really timely that we try to do something to bring that...up to what it should be," Arsenault said.
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