Historic Summerside pond to get major overhaul

The Bedeque Bay Environmental Management Association (BBEMA) hopes to restore a neglected pond in an industrial part of Summerside, P.E.I., with hopes of eventually attracting anglers during fishing season and using it for outdoor skating in the winter.

The pond is located between the Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. (ADL) plant and the metal recycling depot on South Drive. It's currently filled in with reeds, and there's garbage, old tires and a few shopping carts nearby.

"The pond itself is pretty much a sitting neglected structure," said Tracy Brown, BBEMA's executive director.

"We're looking to restore it"

"This is the only place within downtown Summerside that you can fresh water fish, and right now it's not exactly the best option for that," she added.

Extensive restoration planned

The plan is to excavate the pond, drain it, remove the overgrowth and silt. BBEMA also plans to repair culverts — which are completely blocked — to get the water flowing again and create new passageways for fish.

"It's going to be a nice pond we're hopefully going to be attracting some anglers back there again, we're looking to put some walking trails maybe a parkway there again, maybe a garden," said Brown. 

"We want it to become basically a nice place where the community can come and relax." 

Brown explained once the cat tails are removed, the pond could become a good outdoor skating pond. The work on the pond will increase the depth of the water and create a large wide surface.

"You're going to have a nice layer of water," said Brown. "For winter skating you're not going to be trying to skate around these big clumps of plants and stuff, so we're hoping it will be a nice community recreation feature again," she said.

Returning to its former glory

The area was once a well known ice pond where residents used to pull ice for refrigeration.

The pond was also popular for fishing and picnics in the summer and ice skating and hockey in the winter up until the late 1950s.

"It used to be a mecca of community involvement," said Brown "Through years of just neglect and stuff it's become kind of old and it needs much help now."

Hoping for funding

BBEMA is hoping to secure federal funding for the project in the next couple of weeks.

The province is helping provide trees, and the City of Summerside is providing support to tear up the road, replace the culverts and provide other engineering help.

Brown said ADL has also committed to donating the land. She estimates with funding and in kind help, the project will be worth about $1 million. 

"I think it will make a huge difference," said Brown. 

BBEMA hopes to begin the work in early June, and said it may take two years to complete the project. 

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