Tignish considering old-time town square to draw tourists

Some people in Tignish think the key to the P.E.I. town's future may be in its past. They are working on a project they hope will draw more tourists to the town and create jobs, called Tignish Olde Town Village.

The concept is to create a historic village square with replicas of historic buildings that were once part of the town including a train station, plus artisan shops or a market. Housing may also be incorporated into the project.

Judy Morrissey Richard, a town councillor and a member of the Olde Town Village committee, said 40,000 to 60,000 tourists travel through Tignish to go to North Cape each year.

Richard said committee members have been working for years on ideas to get those people to drive in, not drive by.

They held a public meeting recently where the response to the project was good, she said. Council is also "excited" about the project, which Richard said is in its early stages.

'Think year-round'

The committee has preliminary designs, and is preparing to do a feasibility study.

Richard said if it goes ahead, the first phase would likely include three or four buildings on the square, a spot for entertainment, a town clock and an open-air artisan market.

"We're looking at summer season, but in order to make it feasible we have to try and think year-round," she said.

"We're looking at trying to get bus tours coming up to the area again," Richard said, noting tours used to go to the North Cape wind farm complex years ago.

"They could stop at the old town square, they could go to North Cape, they could go to the Stompin' Tom Centre — so we have things that could keep them here for a day, or maybe more."

Richard said the committee will apply for government funding as soon as it's clear whether the project is feasible.

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