Port Hawkesbury officials are pleased with what they’re hearing from a hotel feasibility study.
During last night’s combined committee-of-the-whole and special public meeting, Port Hawkesbury CAO Terry Doyle said the study – which is being undertaken by Cushman & Wakefield and paid for by Pacrim Hospitality, as well as We’koqma’q and Eskasoni First Nations – is evaluating the need for a hotel in the town.
Doyle said the study is looking at the number of existing rooms, the occupancy in existing rooms, demand that’s not being met, as well as latent demand in the community not found in document or data searches.
To demonstrate the need for a hotel in the community, Doyle said an information session was recently held which was well attended. Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton said there was “great feedback” at the information session and many business and community leaders from around the Strait region have voiced their support for another hotel in the town. She said such a development is a “necessary puzzle piece” for Port Hawkesbury to grow.
Because of the lack of rooms in the region, Doyle said the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre cannot host tournaments and conferences, which is something the town relayed to the consultants doing the study.