Published Apr 05, 2025 • 3 minute readCharlottetown’s panning board voted to a support a recommendation by city staff that would deny extending a permit allowing the outreach centre to remain at its current location. Photo by Stu Neatby /Guardian fileOUTREACH CENTRE IS A LIFE RINGOne recent Friday I was given an extensive tour of the Community Outreach Centre. I was certainly impressed with the programs that are ongoing. The clients have a very secure environment.Upon entrance, you go through a metal detector. No personal belongings go into the centre; those are placed in secure lockers.There are rooms where you can decompress by doing art and crafts or just sit and quietly chat. There are rooms where housing, addiction, mental health and other service professionals meet with clients. While I was there, staff from CRA, Service Canada and John Howard Society were meeting with clients.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentBasic needs are met with showers and a café for healthy food and drinks.There is the opportunity to take a life skills course. Eleven clients began week four this week.The security and staff do two walks a day around the perimeters of the area to keep an eye out in particular for children. Since one of the boundaries is Joe Ghiz Park it’s important to ensure that the neighbourhood children are safe.At no time on my tour did I feel the least bit apprehensive. The clients are striving to do better for themselves; the outreach centre is not a crutch, it’s a life ring. It’s saving lives. The programs provided are instrumental in aiding these vulnerable Islanders to get their lives back on track.I think we all can say “There, but by the grace of God go I.”Bernadette Schmeisser,Three Rivers, P.E.I.SIMMONS ONLY SITE FOR TURF FIELDHistorical context provides the City of Charlottetown and council with all the required information to make an informed decision that will benefit recreational user groups and city tax payers. There is no debate, Simmons is the only logical location for the turf fields.Article contentSimmons rink and pool are a gift to the residents of Charlottetown. Noteworthy, for everyone to be reminded this was the intended use of the land. The Simmons family gifted the land to the City of Charlottetown for the purpose of recreation in 1947. I grew up playing tackle football and soccer at Simmons field. As kids we could just walk up the street to play.In 2004, I travelled to Laval, Que. with then vice-president of finance at UPEI, Gary Bradshaw, to visit turf field facilities for the proposed construction at UPEI. We were fortunate to have multiple levels of government come to the table; the city, the province, and the federal government were major funders of the construction at the university. In fact, what we knew at the time was when we built the first facility, many more would follow. We weren’t wrong!Fast forward to the debate that UPEI, Stonepark or Simmons should be considered. There is no logical debate. Simmons is the only location that makes financial, historical and infrastructure sense.Article contentWith the new rinks, the turf fields will have access to bathrooms and change facilities. The turf fields would sit between five elementary, two junior high and two senior high schools. There will be a minimum of three parking areas. It would be accessible to many other users like daycares and after school programs. A simple walking distance for kids in the greater Charlottetown area.As a former tackle football player, my heart says build a field for the kids to play, and build a world-class sporting facility in the heart of Charlottetown.Michael Redmond,Former UPEI soccer coach Before Charlottetown’s city council approved the 2025-2026 budget, they also approved a friendly amendment to the turf field, removing the name Simmons to allow a reconsideration of the location. Logan MacLean Logan MacLeanDROP TOLLS AT CONFEDERATION BRIDGEAll people of this province of P.E.I. are quite agreeable that the Confederation Bridge should be toll-free. This includes all the P.E.I. legislature, it includes Premier Lantz, and the federal members elected by the province to Ottawa. Surely, the federal government would not say if Islanders want to be part of mainland Canada, they must make a cash payment or pay a toll.Article contentCould we on P.E.I. get the same deal as the Quebec bridge where they pay nothing to get across? Imagine how happy Islanders would be with no toll at all.Austin Pendergast,Kensington, P.E.I.POILIEVRE IMITATES TRUMPIn the U.S., President Donald Trump is systematically shutting down his accessibility to reporters who might ask him challenging questions. In Canada, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has banned reporters from his campaign plane, and allowed no media questions on his recent visit to P.E.I.I invite P.E.I. Conservative candidates to explain why their leader is imitating the media access policies of America’s president.David Cairns,Stratford, P.E.I.Article content
LETTERS: P.E.I. letter writers on world issues and those close to home
