Prince Edward Island To Be Linked To Mainland

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31087, 16 June 1966, Page 13

Prince Edward Island To Be Linked To Mainland

(H.Z.P.A.-Reuter) (Prince Edward Island) 1 This sleepy island of fishermen and potato farmers will never be the same once a bridge, tunnel and causeway joins it to the Canadian mainland in 1971.

Some of the people of Canada's smallest province are eagerly awaiting completion of the link. They believe it will usher in a tourist boom bringing unprecedented prosperity. Others fear that the project will rob the 2184-square-mile island of some of its distinctive characteristics—a friendly, gentle pace and a unique beauty. Work on the road and rail link began last Nevember. It will cross the narrowest part of the Northumberland Strait, beginning on the New Brunswick shore with a 13,000 ft causeway. This will lead to a 16,000 ft bridge, and the bridge, in turn, will link with 7000 ft of causeway, a mile of tunnel and a final 5000 ft section of causeway. At present, islanders and visitors have to depend on delay-prone ferries, including the world's most powerful ice-breaking ferry, the 7500ton Arbegweit The ninemile run takes 50 minutes, with an average wait of 45 minutes on shore. Tourist leaders on the island believe that the ferry trip keeps many potential visitors away.

But Mr A. W. Gaudet, secretary of the island’s tourist association, does not entirely share the optimism of many of his compatriots. “Distinctive Beauty”

“Tourists come to Prince Edward Island,” he says.

“because there is something here which they cannot find anywhere else In North America. Our island has a distinctive beauty, an unusual slowness. They say that our people are the friendliest anywhere. “But the causeway may mean that we shall lose our distinctive characteristics.” Land is cheap along the island’s sandy coast and the water in summer is reputed to bo “the warmest north of Florida.” Mr Gaudet fears that wealthy Americans and Canadians will snap up land on the beaches for summer

homes, making it impossible for the islanders to enjoy their own coastline.

But many discount Mr Gaudet’s fears and point to the injection of Government money into the economy during the causeway building. The province’s per capita income of about £407, the second lowest in Canada, is expected to rise sharply, and construction will supply work for 1100 men for six years. In addition to benefitting the tourist industry the causeway will speed Prince Edward Island’s potatoes, dairy produce and fish to the mainland.