Paint job for Eastlink Centre debated at Charlottetown City Council

A Charlottetown City Councillor says residents are complaining about the exterior of the Eastlink Centre.

Mitch Tweel says people stop him on the street and ask when the buildingconstructed in 1991 is going to get a new paint job.

"People in the community have been very annoyed, very upset over the last number of months," said Tweel. "I've gotten phone calls, emails, I'm being stopped on the street, asking when is the City of Charlottetown going to paint that building and clean it up."

Resolution deferred

At Monday's city councilmeeting, Tweel proposed a resolution that the city support a request from Charlottetown Civic Centre Management Inc., to paint the exterior and the entrance tothe arena portion of the Eastlink Centre.

The resolution was deferred by members until the city can approach the province, which owns the trade centre portion of the building, about sharing the cost of painting the entire building at once. Tweel said it'sa decision thatwill leave area residents disappointed.

"What I proposed here tonight is that we would at least start the work and then continue to work with the province, that did not materialize here tonight," said Tweel. "My fear that this building will not receive the attention in terms of painting and cleaning upthis year, and for the residents that live in Kensington Roadand Park Streetand that entire community, it's unacceptable."

Consultations first

Mayor Clifford Lee agreesthe building could use a coat of paint butsaidit doesn't make sense to move forward on a painting project, without consulting the other half of the building's ownership.

"The whole concept that, let's paint half the building, in my view, is really silliness, the building would become known as the building on Kensington Road that only one half of it is painted."

Lee said he intends to reach out to the province, to see if it's in itsbudget to agree to a 50/50 cost-sharing of the paint job, which he estimates to be in the $80,000-$100,000range for the entire exterior of the Eastlink Center. He said from the city's perspective, the money is there.

"Sure, the city has its money allocated in the capital budget, but as I've said, no ask has been made to the province of PEI as of this moment."

Lee saidhe should know in the coming weeks whether or not the province will agree to cost-share the paint job, in which case it could happen this fall. Otherwise, Lee says it's not the end of the world if the Eastlink Centre doesn't get repainted until 2017.