Saturday, May 3, 2008

Save Your Money...

Tim Banks says 'I like your spunk... but save your money. Get in line, as there are more Towns in Canada with the same problem you have than there are people in Alberton. When you look at the demographics for the area you would be hard pressed to support a 7-11 store let alone a Hotel and Convention Centre. Don't get me wrong, I want to be a large supporter (investor) of your area. I've spent a lot of door knocking time in Toronto trying to convince investors that there is a market in West Prince. It seems every time I get someone interested, they visit the area, and they come away with the impression there are 4 little markets that are jealous of each other. They think if they invested in one, the others wouldn't support them. Maybe using this money to call all the Communities together and call for an attitude truce would be a good start. Rebrand the whole area "West Prince", while still retaining the Towns as neighbourhoods, this would probably give investors a stronger sense that there is a working community and the area may see more new investment. Why does Alberton want a hotel when there is a beautiful resort in Mill River that everyone should work together to support and revitalize not compete against? I believe there are lots of great opportunities for this beautiful area of the Province and I think working together as one Community is the first step. The last place a real investor looks for an opportunity is in a newspaper advertisement, just ask Summerside about their futile attempt to build a Hotel next to the new Wellness Centre. Save your money and I'm always willing to give some advice for free, for what it's worth.'
Alberton goes after national investment
Last Updated: Friday, May 2, 2008 10:26 AM
CBC News
The western P.E.I. town of Alberton is going nationwide in its search for new investment in the community.

Mayor Perry Morrell is preparing a newspaper ad for the Globe and Mail to let the entire country know his town is open for business.
"We're trying to improve the quality of living, and whether it be the seniors or the young people, we need investment in the community to have a good standard of living," Morrell told CBC News on Thursday. Morrell has already looked closer to home for investment opportunities, but said anyone with money already has it committed elsewhere, so he's expanding his search.
"There are things the community needs such as a nice motel, convention centre, other businesses to attract people to the community. If the cost of transportation keeps on rising, then the community is going to need all these things to sustain itself," he said.
Alberton needs new investment for the future, says the mayor. (CBC)
Morrell hasn't decided how large an ad to take out. The smallest would be an eighth of a page at a cost of $9,000; a full-page ad would cost $39,000.
Local retailer Bonnie Murphy is pleased to hear the mayor is making efforts to bring the town to national attention. The town has a lot to offer, she said.
"We've got a lot of good people around. We draw from all of West Prince and even from communities beyond," she said.
The advertisement will be a one-shot deal to see whether anyone is interested in relocating to western P.E.I. and willing to take a chance to invest in the small Island town.
Alberton: Quick Facts
Population1,081
Median age44.8
Median family income$42,051
Largest employerAgriculture and other resource-based industries
Distance to nearest citySummerside, 66 km

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