PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: What's New

Gentle Island Numbers Please....
Whoever is in charge of these "Gentle Island" numbers should come clean on the July numbers? Here we are over 2 weeks into August and we're all curious how the month of July turned out for our tourist operators. If you remember, some creative writing put us ahead in June which I still question. I may be way off again but July sure seemed slow and they can't blame that on the weather as it was near picture perfect. So where are the numbers... how are our parks and golf courses doing??? Surely with all the staff hanging around Golf Links and the Tourism Department they could give us some indications as to how they are doing??? It sure seemed busy around Old Home Week and let's hope it continues for all our operators...
Earl Baby, what a trip...
What an exciting race and what a great tradition for PEI. There were well over 10,000 fans on hand Sunday afternoon to see Earl Smith give the big show drivers a little lesson on how to steer a horse to success. I couldn't have been happier to see a local owner Ian Smith take back the Gold Cup as it's been a long time since it's been back in Island hands. Ian sits next to our box (W G Barbour) and when Earl was driving "Matt" home I thought Ian was going to jump right out of the box. The only thing faster than Matt yesterday was Ian on his way to the well deserved Winners Circle. I was a little stronger than our Lieutenant Governor and braved the "unruly crowd" (straight from the White House) and headed straight across the track to congratulate Ian and Earl. I thought I might be out for the golf season as Earl near crushed my hand when we met and he was very, very proud.... as he and his family should be? A job well done to all those involved in this year?s Old Home Week, a great Island tradition.
Barbara, maybe you could have Earl down to the White House for some tea and lobster sandwiches and I'll spring for lunch?
Big race takes historic Sunday run
DOUG HARKNESS
Transcontinental Media
Earl Smith drives Pownal Bay Matt down the stretch to the finish line to win the 49th running of the Sobeys Gold Cup and Saucer Race Sunday at the CDPEC. He won in 1:53:4. The horse is owned by Ian and Lorna Smith. The race was postponed from Saturday night because heavy rain washed out part of the track. Island-owned Pownal Bay Matt captured the 49th running of the Sobeys Gold Cup and Saucer Sunday afternoon in one of the most thrilling finishes in the storied history of the event at Charlottetown Driving Park. The five-year-old son of Matts Scooter gave veteran driver Earl Smith his first Gold Cup and Saucer victory with a 1:53.4 time for owner Ian Smith of Charlottetown.A huge crowd watched the Maritimes richest and most prestigious race in short-sleeved weather after race officials cancelled the Saturday night program because of unsafe track conditions. A torrential rain that hit the Charlottetown area shortly before the scheduled first post caused flooding in the tarmac area and carved out sections of the racing surface.It was the first time in the 49-year history of the event that the big race had to be called off. ?We had to consider the safety of the drivers first, then the safety of the horses,? said Blaine MacPherson, president of Harness Racing P.E.I.After consulting with track officials, the decision was made to postpone the races until Sunday afternoon when weather conditions were favourable.Pownal Bay Matt was parked from the outside Post 8 for the entire mile, but was put in the hunt by Earl Smith at the three-quarter pole and charged home in 28.2 seconds to win by a length.
Some Cheeky Barn Talk...
Last night about 12 thousand of us Gold Cup Groupies were patiently waiting for the "big show" to begin but rain had done some damage to the track so we went into a rain delay. While all the officials were looking over the track a vicious rumour started to circulate around the track that our most Honourable Lieutenant Governor Barbara Hagerman was also refusing to honour the age old tradition of kissing the winning horse. Now I don't profess to know all the rules around these big buck appointments http://www.gov.pe.ca/olg/index.php?number=1022327&lang=E but surely it must be part of the job description. I can't imagine seeing the Guardian Monday morning and not having our most Honourable on the front page with the Gold Cup victor. Maybe the officials got wind of the rumour as they set the race back to Sunday at 1:00 pm and I say they have a delegation down at the "white house" trying to coax her back to the track. Barbara, please come to your senses and go out and put a "half Nelson" around the winner as I'm heading in to cheer you on...
More Gas In City Hall....Mr. Tweel
There is probably more chance of City Hall blowing up because of a gas explosion than there would be on Allen Street. Mr. Tweel should just dig into his own pockets and dish out the money for the City to build a new Industrial Park and while he's at it throw in some more to relocate all the businesses. Maybe installing a set of "Grandstands" for him in his Ward would keep him busy and it would be a lot cheaper for us taxpayers...
Move propane facility into industrial park, Tweel says
Toronto explosion stirs debate over businesses being too close to home
ISABELLE GALLANT
The Guardian
After a propane explosion in a Toronto neighbourhood Sunday, Charlottetown city councillor Mitchell Tweel is even more convinced that industrial businesses in the city should be moved to an industrial park outside Charlottetown. Tweel said the issue of the industrial businesses along Allen Street ? including the Irving propane storage facility ? has been a challenge since he first began representing the area a decade ago. ?It?s plagued city residents for a number of years.? The massive explosion in North Toronto forced around 12,000 people from their homes early Sunday morning. About one-quarter could still not return Monday afternoon due to an asbestos threat. The City of Toronto also launched a review Monday of all areas that could be potentially hazardous to nearby residents. There has never been a propane explosion in Charlottetown, but there was a close call in 1996 when Roger Bell, calling himself Loki 7, planted a bomb above one of the propane tanks on Allen Street.It was removed without any damage and Bell was later convicted in connection with that and other pipe bombs. Tweel brought up the idea of a new industrial park outside the city at the last council meeting and said he plans to bring it up again. ?I believe the city of Charlottetown now should be very proactive and start to work to create an industrial park. We should be working with industrial owners that are in the heart of the city and do not have to be there from a transportation and location perspective, and a safety and security perspective,? he said. ?You?re trying to create a quality of life that exists in the nice new subdivisions that are being built, where the residents would never have to experience or have to live alongside industrial use.? But one business owner across the street from the propane facility isn?t worried about it.over ?Their safety record has been very good. I think it depends on the situation, but I don?t foresee a problem, at least I hope not,? said Austin McQuaid, owner of McQuaid?s Trucking and Warehousing. McQuaid doesn?t agree with Tweel?s idea of moving businesses outside of the city, because he thinks his trucking company would be one of them.?We?ve been in the business now for 50 years, and we don?t plan on moving. Unless he comes up with a pile of money,? said McQuaid. McQuaid said he wouldn?t feel safe living near the propane facility, but thinks the nearest houses are far enough away.?I mean, where do you put it? It?s got no houses around where it?s at, and a couple of businesses, so I would think it?s the best spot for it right now unless things grow around it.?The nearest houses to the propane facility are on Walthan Drive and Upper Prince Street to the south and Mount Edward Road to the east. There?s also a house on Allen Street right next to the facility. Some residents in the Upper Prince Street area were planning a petition to remove the facility before the Toronto explosion happened.They are still planning to bring it to city council this fall, said a spokesperson for area residents.Building the propane facility in that area was not a good idea, said Tweel. It was constructed before the city of Charlottetown amalgamated in 1994, and was on the periphery of Charlottetown and Parkdale.?I still call into question the lack of planning, where you had two former municipalities not really communicating,? said Tweel.
$ 800,000.00 .... say no more!
It must have been all those viewers who watched "The Legends Of Golf" that have been breaking down the doors to get my 6:30 am tee time that got me booted off Crowbush. I remember thinking "where do we come up with these crazy ideas" when the previous Government announced "The Legends" another Government boondoggle. Think about it, they squandered a ton of money on The Legends and where are the results??? Our Provincial courses are down over 15% and it's time for Government to live up to their commitment and Sell, Sell, Sell... Yes we're going to get a lot of "talk" from the golf channel but I've watch more than a few of the Big Break episodes and the only location I can remember is "Ka?anapali" and was it the golf I was watching or the ladies??? Do you really think that someone watches the program and hops on a plane and heads to "Ka'anapali"? I'm all for promoting our Island to get more visitors here but it sure seems like a lot of money for questionable returns and Golf Links have already proven this with "The Legends"... good news for the boys and girls at Golf Links as they should be able to garner a few more "trips" out of this deal and the "consultant" should be able to pick up some more "coin" for holding everyone's hand....
P.E.I. signs deal with Golf Channel
Friday, August 8, 2008
CBC News
The P.E.I. government announced a two-year partnership this morning with the U.S.-based Golf Channel on Friday.
The $800,000 deal will showcase P.E.I. golf on several Golf Channel programs, including its top reality show, The Big Break. Tourism Minister Valerie Docherty hopes this new agreement will help drive the lucrative U.S. golf market to the Island.
UPEI's Tourism Research Centre reports U.S. golfers spend about $26.1 billion a year on golf travel.
P.E.I. will be the first Canadian destination to be featured on The Big Break, a 12-part series that at the end of the season gives one talented amateur a chance to compete on the pro circuit.
"We create a series of golf challenges that they compete in, and each show someone gets eliminated," Golf Channel spokeswoman Theresa McCann told CBC News Friday.
"At the end we're ultimately left with one winner, the ultimate prize package will be the break of a lifetime."
Secret location
Earlier this week, the Western Graphic newspaper reported the series will shoot next month at the Mill River Golf Course in West Prince. On Friday Tourism Minister Valerie Docherty wouldn't confirm those details.
"I don't know why they printed that because we certainly haven't confirmed locations yet," said Docherty, noting the province has signed a confidentiality agreement.
"We're not even allowed to talk about it until after the show has been filmed."
Docherty said the exposure P.E.I. will receive on the Golf Channel is well worth the $800,000 investment. Reaching American golfers is a big part of the Island's tourism strategy, and Docherty believes $90 million in annual revenue from American golf travellers is achievable.
In addition to The Big Break feature, P.E.I. will appear as a destination on the Golf With Style series, and Legends of Golf 2006 and 2007 will be presented in edited form.
Earlier this year Docherty cancelled a contract with Legends of Golf, which had brought big names such as Jack Nicklaus and Mike Weir to play on P.E.I. One of the reason Docherty cancelled the event was because it was not being seen in the U.S.

PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: What's New

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PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: What's New

2 New Links:

Tim Banks' pictures - Photos (including his Porsche) from Tim Banks, the CEO of APM, a Canada wide construction and property development company, with its head office in Charlottetown, PEI. new (Added: 8-May-2008 Hits: 0 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

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Tim Banks' pictures - Photos (including his Porsche) from Tim Banks, the CEO of APM, a Canada wide construction and property development company, with its head office in Charlottetown, PEI. ^new
(Added: 8-May-2008 Hits: 0 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It