PP3 deal with Homburg will build wheelchair accessible elevator for Confederation Centre Public Library to be renamed Homburg Public Library
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Charlottetown – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Premier Robert Ghiz has formed a private public partnership (PP3) with businessman Richard Homburg to solve the problem of disability access in the Confederation Centre Library.
“Mr. Homburg has generously donated $200,000 to the Fathers of Confederation Trust who will in turn use the money to renovate the Confederation Library with an elevator that will accommodate wheelchairs,” said Premier Ghiz.
Trisha Clarkin of Charlottetown says she cannot access the elevator at the Confederation Centre Library in her scooter without help. Guardian photo
“We have known about the problem for some time and were working on a solution when the Guardian carried the story about Ms. Clarkin,” added the Premier.
“The Province thanks Ms. Clarkin for bringing the matter to their attention three years ago when she was President of the PEI Council of the Disabled,” added the Premier.
The solution is a unique example of all levels of government and disability advocacy groups working together to make PEI a more accessible province.
The Fathers of Confederation Trust confirmed that the $100,000 renovation will occur in the near future when they obtain a matching grant from the Canada’s Economic Action Plan to defray internal costs and overheads.
The Fathers of Confederation Trust also confirmed the library will be renamed the Homburg Public Library in honor of the generous donation that Mr. Homburg has made to the Centre and those living with disabilities on Prince Edward Island.
Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee said he was happy Ms. Clarkin will be able to read more books from the Library. The Mayor missed the press conference at the new Homburg Public Library when he took a wrong turn on Kent Street and ended back at City Hall.
Marcia Carroll of the PEI Council of Persons with Disabilities said “The Council is pleased that the those on wheelchairs and scooters will be able to access books in the library.” A small plaque indicating the effort of the PEI COD will be placed inconspicuously in the Homburg Public Library washrooms.
The Province is also pleased to announce it has loaned an additional $5 million dollars to Homburg Investments LLP (Switzerland) to be used in unrelated development somewhere. The loan has the standard low-interest, no-repayment terms the Province of PEI grants to off-Island developers who promise to visit PEI.
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For media contacts, see Geoff Townsend, Director of Communications
Telephone: (902) 368-4400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (902) 368-4400 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Email: gatownsend@gov.pe.ca
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Update May 18, 2014 – the story title has been updated to shorten it for formatting purposes.
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