Local lore doesn’t always have its facts straight. So in the interest of acuracy, here are a few oft-heard myths that deserve some clarification:
Downtown has no parking
Facts are facts. There are about 2600 parking spaces in the downtown area. Many of these spots even offer a shorter walk to Water Street businesses than what you’d traipse in the larger mall parking lots uptown.
There’s nothing to do here.
Between recreational activities and world class entertainment at Credit Union Place, facilities for the kids like Generation XX and Off the Wallz, the Eptek Centre, Harbourfront Theatre, Cineplex and numerous other special events hosted by a myriad of local organizations, there is always something to do in Summerside. Check out goingon.ca for today’s events, or to see what’s coming soon.
During the summer, we really go into high gear with lots of extra stuff for our visitors. Visit exploresummerside.com for those updates. Better yet, have some fun playing tourist for a day right here in your own hometown. Check our Explore’s summary of local attractions.
There’s nowhere to eat.
OpenEats has been noticed by the national media. Both Sunny’s Dairy Bar and Holman’s Ice Cream Parlour made the 2017 Top 11 list of dairy bars in Atlantic Canada. If you think you don’t have dining choices, think again; there’s a broad spectrum of everything from fast food to sit-down ambiance. (If you’re really stumped, check out the Chamber’s member directory here to get you started and also to ensure you have two or three choices to offer if a visitor happens to ask for your recommendation.)
There’s nowhere to shop.
In the past couple of years, many new businesses have opened to broaden your shopping options. Think Go Girl! Fashions & Accessories or the newly re-branded Edge 251 for women’s fashions, think Farmed Market & Craft Butchery for fresh food. Have you visited the Farmer’s Market lately, or ADL’s retail outlet at Read’s Corner for other grocery alternatives? Did you know that Home Hardware and its sister furniture store have an extensive collection of beautiful decor items?
What you need may not always be exactly where you expect to find it, but it’s there. These are just a few examples but do some exploring. Every dollar you spend locally gets circulated back into our own economy and benefits your neighbours and friends who are operating those stores. Again, the Chamber member directory can be a great resource.
(And keep an eye out for the next #ChooseSummerside event, possibly as early as the spring of 2018. This family-friendly day is specifically to help residents get a broader look at what’s available right here, so you can more easily “Choose Summerside” for your purchases and activities.)
There’s no diversity
Diversity in ages? Try attending a Filmworks evening and see a cross section of Summerside in one place. Diversity based on nationality? Don’t overlook the rich influence and strong roots of our Acadian and Mi’kmaq neighbours.
If you speak to the local Newcomers’ Association, you’ll learn there are more newcomers living here now that you might realize. They’re here as doctors and caregivers, as students and as business owners. They bring us new perspectives, new cultural traditions and generally enhance our daily life. We want them to stay.
So this is where you can help. How you welcome new residents can make a huge difference to their likelihood of remaining happily with us. So don’t just be friendly in a passive kind of way, be neighbourly. Make the first move: invite them to a barbeque, help them to get their kids involved in local sports programs or introduce them to others. Our community will be richer thanks to you.