Planetarium, insectarium on track for Summerside

Summerside Council has thrown its support behind a study into whether to build a science discovery centre on the waterfront.

Council pledged about a third of the $15,000 needed to draw up blueprints and a business plan.

Two groups are leading the project, which is expected to cost at least $4 million. The discovery centre would include a planetarium and an insectarium.

The Bedeque Bay Environmental Management Association is partnering with the Summerside YMCA on the initiative. The Y board's past president Ron Perry said a project like this needs broad community support.

"There are a number of challenges facing Summerside," said Perry.

"We think that we can play a role toward building a community that can be progressive for the future, ways to attract more tourism to the Summerside area and thereby building up some of the business opportunities as well."

Perry said this would be the only planetarium in the Maritime region, which would make it an attraction not just for Summerside but for P.E.I. as a whole.

The Y Service Club has set $300,000 aside for the project. If all goes well, organizers say construction could begin in 2017.