A good mix

Lee, Rice in favour of Charlottetown having a working port

Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee says he has no problem with mixing industrial and tourism on the waterfront.

One business complained about late night gravel work on the waterfront on Saturday.

“It doesn’t conflict with my vision,’’ Lee said about the mixture.

“The reality is the working port is a key part of that operation down there.’’

He says the fees the aggregate barges pay to Port Charlottetown bring much-needed revenue that has helped the port make improvements and entice cruise ships.

“And the jobs it has created (across the downtown) — I’m not prepared as mayor to say goodbye to those jobs.’’

Lee said a working port should be in the centre of the province so it can serve all of P.E.I.

Coun. Eddie Rice, who represents the area on council, said while he has concerns with the hours that trucks work on the waterfront, he would never be in favour of losing it as a working waterfront.

“It provides a lot of business and a lot of industry in Charlottetown that wouldn’t normally be there,’’ Rice said.