New development planned for old community gardens land

The owner of the old community garden property on Mount Edward Road in Charlottetown hopes to sell the land to a housing developer for apartment buildings.

The land is owned by the St. Dunstan's University Foundation Board of Governors.

The board's real estate advisor Herman McQuaid told CBC News a developer would like to build three apartment buildings with 40 to 48 units each, and a row of seven townhouses.

Undisclosed price

The townhouses would be a bufferbetween homes in the area and the apartment buildings. A small green space has also been set aside. This part of the plan is St. Dunstan's "being a good corporate citizen," McQuaid said.

Development on the four-and-a-half hectare (11-acre) property would be done in two phases, McQuaid said, with a third phase possible in the future.

McQuaid would not disclose what the purchase price of the land is estimated to be, but did say any money would be reinvested into the community.

St. Dunstan's board currently gives out about $1 million a year toUPEI scholarships and awards, Catholic programs, the Diocese of Charlottetown and other community groups, McQuaid said.

A public meeting is being held next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, because a small portion of the property would have to be rezoned for the development to go ahead.

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With files from Laura Chapin