My neighbourhood for a horse! Equestrian community proposed for Ebenezer

One Island developerhas a visionof creating a residentialequestrian community on P.E.I.

The proposed MapleRidgeEquestrian Community would see the construction of 13three-acre mini-farms along with a number of equestrian-themed amenities,said Gordie Kirkpatrick, who is heading the proposed development.

The community can be compared to residential communitiesongolf courses, Kirkpatrick explained, where a group of people with shared interestslive in a neighbourhood that reflect those interests, he added.

"It's a tight-knit community of people who are, you know, cohesive and have the same wishes," Kirkpatrick said. "That's what we're looking for here too, we're looking to have a tight-knit community. We already have boarders at our current place and a great group of people and we look to continue to have that as we grow."

Equestrian amenities

He said eachlotwill be large enough for a house, a small barn and pasture for one or two horses. The development wouldalso include amenities for everyone, such asindoor and outdoor riding arenas, a cross-country equestrian track, communal pastures as well as indoor stables.

"If you wanted to move here and didn't want to have your own barn you could stable at our facility," Kirkpatrick explained.

He said the proposed stables will also offer riding lessons and boarding services. All the amenities on the property will be managed by MapleRidge, a company owned by the Kirkpatrick family, he added.

The community wouldalsocreate over 12 kilometres of riding and walkingtrails throughout the 220-acre property.

'Phased project'

The development of the community will be done in phases over a four-year period, Kirkpatrick said, with the goal of building three or four homes per year once the project is fully approved.

Kirkpatrick said he has submitted a change of use application to the Department of Communities, Land and Environment to change the use of theagricultural land to use for the mini-farm lots.

Spencer Matheson,junior provincial planner for P.E.I., said the change of use application is one of many steps Kirkpatrick will have to take before he can break ground on the residential portion of the project.

"Change of use still has to be approved," Mathesonsaid. "Then the subdivision still would have to be reviewed and approved and then the development applications for each of the properties have to be submitted, reviewed and approved before you start seeing houses or anything like that on the property."

Public meetings

Kirkpatrick said there have been two public meetings to inform the community about the proposed development and get feedback.

The original development proposal included 20 two-acre lots, Kirkpatrick said. However, after a public meeting in June called by community members in Ebenezer, the plans were changedto address concerns about the number of housesthe development would include, he added.

Dewerand Victoria MacLeod, wholivenear the proposed development, said they areconcerned about the loss of agricultural land and farming opportunities for people in the community.

Victoria MacLeodsaid she and her husband attended the public meetings and are not against the proposed horse farming.Their main concern is that once housesarebuilt on the land it can no longer be used for agricultural purposes.

"We don't want to see a subdivision built on farmland used for food," DewerMacLeodsaid."Once one house goes up, and 10 houses go up then down the road, it could be a lot more."

Agricultural use

Kirkpatrick said the mini-farms will comprise 39 acres of the property.

"I contend that even the mini-farm lots are agriculture because we're horse-farming," Kirkpatrick said. "We certainly feel that it's still keeping with the agricultural theme."

Kirkpatrick already owns a home and horse stable next to the proposed development.

Construction of the new indoor stables and riding arena, next to his current operation, havealready begun and Kirkpatrick said it is set to be open and operational within the next few weeks.

"We like to think this is a good thing for P.E.I., a good thing for Ebenezer and really feel strongly and passionately that it is."

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