New $5M Kensington business park adds 39 industrial lots

Site plans for a new $5-million, 39-lot industrial park were released Wednesday by government officials inKensington, P.E.I.

Although the Kensington business park was proposed before the pandemic,provincial infrastructure minister Steven Myersis framing the project asan important way to helppeople and the communityrecover from the economic impact of COVID-19.

"Developing a business park in Kensington will put shovels in the ground in the near term and create employment and economic opportunities now and in the future," he said in a news release.

In total, the project is expected to cost close to $5 million, with $2.5 million of that comingfrom the Town of Kensington, $500,000 from the province and the remainder from Ottawa.

Mayor Rowan Caseley told reporters at a news conference Wednesday that the town hopes to get itstartedby this fall.

The existing parkhas been full for years and Caseley said he previously had to turn awaybusiness wanting to come in the area.

He said the new park will be considered "light industrial" similar to the existing one, which houses a company doing woodworking, an auto body shop and a veterinary clinic.

According to the site plans, an approximately 15-metre buffer zone will be in place to protect lots neighbouring the nearby wetlands.

Caseleyhopes the new park will attract more business to the area and he's encouraged by the 10 inquiries received so far.

MalpequeMP Wayne Easter, representing the federal infrastructure minister at the news conference,said the federal funds are available now.

The $2.05 million handed over to Kensingtonis intended for spending onbuilding roads and constructing the project.

It comes from theone-time $16.5 million Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKennaannounced in June through the federal gas tax fund to go towardpressing infrastructure needs.

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