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Josh Biggley, writing at the excellent new Spacing Atlantic blog, makes the case for another farmer’s market in Charlottetown. The market on Belvedere Avenue is, by some measures, a victim of its own considerable success. Josh believes the market will support another market and invites readers to post their suggestions on a collaborative Google Map. Read his article and if you agree, weigh in with your suggestion on the map.

There have been two serious vehicle-student collisions at the intersection of Queen St. and Pond St. in the three years I’ve been on council; one in early 2007, and one last week involving two boys. Early in my term I worked with the principal of Queen Charlotte Intermediate School to make improvements to the crosswalk in front of the school on North River Road. That crosswalk, unlike some others, has a crossing guard during the lunch hour to ensure safety of students crossing to the west side of North River (students going home for lunch). I believe it’s only fair that the large number of students going east for lunch, either at home or at one of the restaurants on University Ave., should be given the same safety consideration when crossing Queen Street. So, I will be seeking the agreement of the police committee at our next meeting to post a crossing guard during the school lunch hour at the Queen and Pond intersection. This has the support of principals and Home & School Associations of schools in the area, and they are committed to directing students to cross Queen St. only at the guarded intersection.

Some have suggested this intersection should be signalized or turned into a four-way stop. Public Works and the police have analyzed the traffic volumes at this intersection more than once and have determined that it does not meet the requirements under the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada. There may be problems with sight lines due to a house on one corner, but that is an issue that should be dealt with separately to any consideration of traffic control measures. In fact, I often hear from people that want us to remove stop signs in locations where they are felt to be unnecessary. And have to agree — we do seem to have quite a lot of them.

Tim Banks says he has been “looking at some hotel concepts in the US and Canada for the Charlottetown marketplace” and he has “lined up some investors”. The reaction I get when I mention this to people today seems to range from disbelief that our market can support another hotel, to suggestions that Tim is dreaming and will never go through with it. I suspect if you told Tim it’s never going to happen, it will only make it more likely to happen. That just seems to be the way he rolls.
It’s encouraging that successful companies like APM and Homburg have the confidence in our city and tourism market to continue making large investments that appear, at least to the Average Joe, risky at best. I look forward to hearing more about Tim’s hotel plan when it arrives at City Hall but I don’t think, as apparently he is hoping, a roundabout driveway design will get him any special consideration.