Workshop to tackle future of Home Farm
DAVE STEWART
The Guardian

A new fire station and a military training centre are just two of the ideas being bounced around when it comes to the future of the Home Farm, also known as the Experimental Farm property.
The Mi’kmaq Confederation of P.E.I. is hosting a workshop in Charlottetown Wednesday that includes various stakeholders interested in the property — the confederacy, City of Charlottetown, UPEI, Holland College, Department of National Defence and the Friends of the Farm.
Jeff Brant, chief executive officer of the P.E.I. Mi’kmaq Development Corporation, said Thursday the whole idea is to advance the issue.
“We’ve always been open and honest as to our intent and desire to have the Home Farm come under the ownership of the Mi’kmaq in order to generate revenue,’’ Brant said.
“We see it as a potentially key economic engine for the First Nations.’’
Brant said the confederacy, which views itself as stewards of the eight-acre farm, wants to develop a common vision for the property, one where everyone wins.
“It’s just about getting everybody on the same page and how we develop the property in a manner that is respective of everybody’s needs and desires for the property its itself.’’
The Home Farm is still owned by the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and has yet to be officially declared federal surplus land. At that point it would be turned over to Canada Lands which handles all surplus land.
Bert Christie, with Friends of the Farm, said they’ve been invited to the workshop and will be sending four members. He said proposals on the property include building a new, central, fire hall at the corner of University and Belvedere avenues and moving the Queen Charlotte Armouries from the waterfront to the Home Farm but they’re just ideas being thrown around right now. The Friends want to see the property preserved as green space.
“Friends of the Farm is very concerned about all of this. We’ll have to wait and see what happens,’’ Christie said.
Brant wouldn’t comment on specific ideas for the site but he did say the vision definitely does not entail big buildings, malls nor does it have the flashy retail look of University Avenue.
“Putting skyscrapers there is not conducive to the needs of Charlottetown. There is a need for green space but you need to generate revenue that allows that green space to be maintained.
“We see the property as a chance to generate alternate revenue streams for the First Nation but, as well, it could be a huge economic generator for the province, for the city. We’re in a time of economic downturn so having new development is crucial in getting us through that. This has to be responsible development.’’
The Mi’kmaq Confederacy has hired O2 Design and Planning, a firm based in Calgary, to facilitate Wednesday’s workshop, compile all the ideas for the property and present a report that features a uniform vision for the Home Farm.
Brant said doing nothing is not an option.
“The position that we’ll be in in 10 years time if we haven’t (moved this forward), if no one has done anything with that property, I think everybody loses.’’