Summerside, Prince Edward Island
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Summerside (pop. 14,654) is the second largest city in Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the principal municipality in the western part of the province. The name is believed to have originated as "sunnyside" because early settlers believed the south (Northumberland Strait) shore of Prince Edward Island was sunnier than the north (Gulf of St. Lawrence) shore.
Summerside was first settled in 1840 when a wharf was constructed and a road was built to St. Eleanors, which was then the shire town of Prince County. Joseph Pope soon built a shipyard at the wharf, and the town began to grow. Summerside became a seaport from which goods, such as potatoes, were shipped to the mainland. On April 1 1877 Summerside was officially incorporated. It was officially incorporated as a city in 1995.
With the shipbuilding industry on the decline, Summerside became a centre for the trading of fox pelts in the early 1900s. In the 1940s, the Royal Canadian Air Force built a RCAF Station Summerside on the outskirts of the town. After CFB Summerside closed in 1991, it was converted into a business park. Since then the federal, provincial, and local governments have undertaken community development initiatives in an effort to diversify the city's economy.
Tourist attractions in Summerside today include Spinnaker's Landing, a group of boutiques on the waterfront, and the P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame. A series of murals downtown depicts Summerside's history.
Large employers in the city include the Summerside tax centre, from which Revenue Canada administers the Goods and Services Tax (or GST). Atlantic Turbines, which manufactures and repair parts for air crafts is also an important employer in the area. Approximately 10 minutes away in neighboring community New Annan is Cavendish Farms, a frozen foods processing plant that employs over 2000 people.
Summerside has been aggressive in courting new business opportunities and has created an Economic Development Office for the purpose of encouraging investment in the city.[1]
The city's neighborhoods vary from working class (especially in the outlying regions) to upscale and affluent (near the downtown area). A number of stately Victorian homes near downtown have been converted into bed-and-breakfast businesses. Prince County Hospital, the county's largest hospital, and also the one which offers the most services, is located in Summerside.
Basil Stewart, a retired military man, is the current mayor of Summerside. He won his eighth consecutive term in November, 2006.
According to the Canada 2001 Census:
| Population: | 14,654 (+0.9% from 1996) |
| Land area: | 28.36 km² |
| Population density: | 516.7 people/km² |
| Median age: | 38.0 (males: 36.4, females: 39.5) |
| Total private dwellings: | 5,981 |
| Mean household income: | $38,688 |
[edit] External links
| Image:Flag of Prince Edward Island.svg | Prince Edward Island |
|---|---|
| Counties | Kings - Prince - Queens |
| Parishes | Bedford - Charlotte - East - Egmont - Greenville - Halifax - Hillsboro - North - Richmond - St. Andrew's - St. David's - St. George's - St. John's - St. Patrick's |
| Lots | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 41 - 42 - 43 - 44 - 45 - 46 - 47 - 48 - 49 - 51 - 52 - 53 - 54 - 55 - 56 - 57 - 58 - 59 - 61 - 62 - 63 - 64 - 65 - 66 - 67 |
| Royalties | Kings Royalty - Prince Royalty - Queens Royalty |
| Cities | Charlottetown - Summerside |
| Other communities | Alberton - Borden - Breadalbane - Cavendish - Central Bedeque - Cornwall - Ellerslie - Foxley River - Freeland - Georgetown - Hebron - Hunter River - Kensington - Knutsford - Miminegash - Miscouche - Montague - Morell - Mount Stewart - Murray Harbour - Murray River - North Rustico - O'Leary - Souris - Stratford - Tignish |
