Parking stalls condo development

What a developer called "a minor blip" has put a full stop on a project to redevelop the Waterfront Mall in Summerside.

Mall owner Oran Canada has plans to spend $25 million building condominiums on top of it. But it needs an area controlled by the adjacent Silver Fox Curling Club, which the club is using for about 100 parking spaces.

The developer owns the space, but an agreement signed before Oran bought the mall states any development will not affect those parking spots.

"The project at the moment is stalled. I have suspended it and I'm not spending any more money," said Oran Canada president Eoin Little. "We'll continue working with our tenants in the mall and improving that, but as of now there's no building going on top of it."

Last month, Little did not believe the parking issue was any more than a distraction, calling it a "minor blip."

But he now finds himself forced to negotiate with the Silver Fox Curling Club. The last meeting between the two was Monday.

The Silver Fox has said it will fight any building permits that would result in losing its parking spaces.

Little said the club needs to look at the bigger picture development that will bring a much-needed economic boost to the area.

"If you get this development going in, it will create other jobs; it will spark other people to do other things," said Little.

Management at the Silver Fox declined to be interviewed by the CBC. They did say they are not opposed to the development, but that losing those spaces would hurt their business.

Little said Monday's meeting was a huge step forward, and that the mood between the two parties is more positive. He is optimistic a deal can be reached.