Developer pitches golf course for Borden-Carleton fabrication yard

An Island developer wants to build a new golf course on the fabrication yard in Borden-Carleton, P.E.I. 

Kris Taylor says he's met with the province and the town of Borden-Carleton about buying the land. He said a golf course could bring more people and dollars to the area and that a lot of golfers are looking for a links-style course. 

"It's just such a special property, especially for the use I have for it," he said. 

There have been previous calls to clean up the 45 hectare site — littered with slabs of concrete leftover from the construction of the Confederation Bridge in the 1990s.

Links-style courses were built historically on poor ground, Taylor said.  

"You know, the townsfolk went out with sticks and  they started playing what is now golf and it was just on kind of that barren land between the farms and the sea."

Taylor said a few things need to happen before the golf course becomes a reality, including support from the community.  A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday to hear comments from residents.

"I think the first issue is does this float and does the community want this? Does Innovation P.E.I. allow this to happen and then we go from there. But I don't think financing at this point looks like a huge hurdle."

Borden-Carleton CAO James Wentzell said the town is open to different ideas on what to do with the fabrication yard, but needs to hear from the province, which owns the land, on possible uses for it.

"It's a tremendous piece of property and it's been vacant for 25 years…so it certainly has received a lot of interest,' he said. 

"Let's see what people are proposing and let's see what maybe will be the best fit for the town."

The province said staff met with officials from the town of Borden-Carleton at the end of August. A consultant is preparing conceptual plans based off those meetings, which do not include a golf course.                                               

A spokesperson for the department of Economic Development, Innovation and Trade said once the consultant's plans are reviewed by provincial staff and council, a public meeting is expected to be held later this year. The province said it is aware of the golf course proposal.

Sam MacPhail, the executive director of Golf P.E.I., said a golf course in Borden-Carleton would be a boost for the overall industry, and offer something different from the courses that are more tucked away.