Some Cavendish residents asking for more street lights

Some people in Cavendish, P.E.I., are calling for more street lights in the community.

Matthew Jelley, mayor of the resort municipality of Stanley Bridge, Hope River, Bayview, Cavendish and North Rustico, says there are a number of private subdivisions in the area, which have some street lighting of their own.

"There has been a request for the municipality to provide more street lighting so that is something we are taking a look at," Jelley said.

He said since last year, several subdivisions have asked for added lighting.

In private subdivisions is that a service that the residents should be paying for themselves?— Matthew Jelley, mayor

"It would be a decision to provide service, and currently it's a service provided along the public right of way," Jelley said. 

"So, to expand it into private subdivisions would be unprecedented within our community."

No municipal roads

He said there are no municipally maintained roads within the community — they are all privately owned or under the province's jurisdiction.

"Where they're provincial roads we have some street lighting in place," he said. "Within the private subdivisions that are still owned by either a group of landowners or the original developer of the subdivision, we are not currently providing any street lights."

Jelley said he isn't even sure the municipality can legally put lights in privately owned subdivisions and determining what subdivisions to serve would be difficult.

"Do you do it in certain subdivisions? Do you do it in all subdivisions?" he said. "Is it something we want to be providing and pay for? Or in private subdivisions is that a service that the residents should be paying for themselves?"

Jelley said the municipality is looking into whether or not it can legally put the lights up. When that information is returned, council will look at the issue.

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