P.E.I.'s Glenaladale Estate gets $584K government investment

Ottawa and the P.E.I. government teamed up Monday to provide a big boost to the development plan for Glenaladale Estate, a heritage site north of Charlottetown.

The board of directors for the estate is getting $484,000 from Canadian Heritage, and a further $100,000 from the province.

Mary Gallant, chair of the Glenaladale Heritage Trust, said it's a relief to have the funds to move forward with the group's development plan. 

"We had hoped we would be eligible, put a lot of work into the application, etc., and it is a big plus in the restoration of this big project," she said. "This is a massive undertaking."

MP Lawrence MacAulay.said the Glenaladale estate "has played a really important role in our rich history and heritage here on Prince Edward Island. Making sure that we preserve sites like these for the future is absolutely vital."

The funding marks the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the Glenaladale settlers at Tracadie Cross in 1772.

The estate itself is a 215-hectare property that includes a brick mansion, dating from 1884, and a schoolhouse.

The board of directors for the Glenaladale Heritage Trust plans to create a Scottish cultural centre on the site. 

Over the next three years the trust intends to create a public performance space, artist studios and residences, and offer an arts training program.

"An additional element to the project that we really want to highlight is the sculpture forest," said board vice-chair Aggie-Rose Reddin.

"We're working in conjunction with the Confederation Centre and Creative P.E.I. and hopefully we'll have strong interest from Island artists and artisans to be part of that."

Work has already begun to restore the buildings on the estate. The schoolhouse was moved to a more prominent location and placed on a foundation for the first time. The house has received a new slate roof.

The trust is still looking to raise a further $300,000 to complete its plans.

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