Old Prince Edward Home and Summerset Manor to be demolished

The old Prince Edward Home in Charlottetown and the Summerset Manor in Summerside, P.E.I.,are going to be torn down, the province says.

Government has previously talked about demolishingthe P.E. Home, but there is now money in the budget to start work and get the project done, says Infrastructure Minister Paula Biggar.

The province has set aside $3 million dollars for the projects, Biggar said.Tearing down the building has been on the province's list of things to do for a few years but now the building has been made surplus and there's money to make the project happen.

Detailed plan before demolition

Biggar said the province must come up witha detailed planbefore demolition begins because there are district heating system lines around the building that need to be realigned.

"Those lines run out to other areas, uptown, around town," said Biggar.

There's no timeline for demolition, butBiggarsaid it won't be this calendar year.

She saidthe future use of the space does notneed to be decided before the building is taken down.

"We know that the City of Charlottetown [is] interested in that property so while we do have the budget there we are now starting to have those discussions to work towardstarting the demolition," said Biggar.

SummersetManor to be torn down

A request for proposals (RFP) will be going out soon to tear down the Summerset Manor in Summerside, Biggar said.

RFPs have been issued in the pastbut there's been no interest in redeveloping the property, she said.

Biggar expects the building to be down by the end of the summer.

She said the building is in the middle of a residential area and there aresenior units all around, so it could be an opportunity to build more seniors' housingas part of the province's housing strategy. Government is not looking to sell off the land once the building is gone, Biggarsaid.

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