PEI

New $200K 'culture pavilion' open in Charlottetown's Victoria Park

A long-awaited new pavilion has been unveiled in Charlottetown's Victoria Park.

'People who remember the original bandstand in the park missed that infrastructure'

A building with a large door that can be opened to serve as a stage for the surrounding lawn.
'It's taken some time to get an initiative like this in place,' says Wayne Long with the City of Charlottetown. (Katerina Georgieva/CBC)

A long-awaited new pavilion has been unveiled in Charlottetown's Victoria Park. 

The city is calling the multi-use structure a "culture pavilion."

"It's taken some time to get an initiative like this in place, from what once stood in Victoria Park," said Wayne Long, events development officer with the City of Charlottetown. 

A bandstand was built in the park in 1973 to commemorate 100 years since P.E.I. entered Confederation, but was since removed.

The city tied in the opening of the new pavilion with Natal Day celebrations over the weekend. 

'People are quite happy'

Public feedback has been positive, Long said. 

'People are quite happy,' with the new pavilion says Wayne Long, events development officer with the City of Charlottetown. (Katerina Georgieva/CBC)

"People are quite happy — people who remember the original bandstand in the park missed that infrastructure," Long said.

ACOA contributed $100,000 from its Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Fund and the City of Charlottetown contributed more than $100,000 to build the structure. 

"There was a real need for this, so we're very happy that we have it now," said Long, inviting community, arts, and cultural groups to use the space. It will not be used for ticketed events, he added, and no alcohol consumption will be permitted. 

'There was a real need for this,' says Wayne Long with the City of Charlottetown. (Katerina Georgieva/CBC)