Borden-Carleton residents share their tourism strategy ideas

About 65 people attended a public meeting in Borden-Carleton Tuesday night, looking at ways to attract people to thetown, instead of just driving through on their way on and off the Island.

The meeting was held by the Strategic Tourism Expansion Program.Co-chair Jeannette Arsenaultsaid she was pleasantly surprised by the turnout.

Residentsshared theirideas

"I think they are really excited about having a new strategy in the area for tourism development. A lot of people came out and they were all talking and they were on board so that was good news."

Arsenault currently lives in Summerside but she lived in Borden-Carleton for about 12 years and still works there.

Booths were set up around the room and residentshad the chance to speak with committee members, then write their own ideas down and leave them.

Arsenault explained some of the objectives includedtrying to come up with new year-round services, enhancing the lives of the residents of the town, and coming up with new branding.

Arsenault's booth was promotingyear-round services in the community, and some of the ideaspeople put forward were having a year-round restaurant that could accommodate big groupsfor events like birthdays or reunions, andhaving a marina at the wharf.

A consultant is looking over the ideas from the community, and the committee will meet again in about a month.

The groupalso hasa trade mission planned to visit a town that has made similar changes,to see how it went.

There will be another public meeting in the spring.