by Maria Driscoll

Holland College Vice-President of Finance and Administration, Dick MacDonald, today announced that Holland College has purchased The Islander Motor Lodge in Charlottetown. Beginning in September and through the winter months, The Islander will provide accommodation for students attending the College, particularly those enrolled in programs at The Culinary Institute of Canada. During the summer months, The Islander will continue to operate as a hotel, providing affordable accommodation to vacationing families and the business community.

"The Islander will provide wonderful accommodation for our students," commented Mr. MacDonald. "It is well situated within the City and provides parking for those students who need it." The Islander will house over 75 individuals in rooms with single and double occupancy. As with any hotel, the facility will provide numerous amenities to students including cleaning and laundry services, parking, security, and meal plans.

For some time the College has been working towards providing accommodations for its students. "Holland College continues to experience growth in its student numbers," stated MacDonald. "The College now attracts over 2,300 full-time students, 50% of which are from off the Island. At the Tourism and Culinary Centre alone, 75% of the students are from off-Island and its international numbers are growing." MacDonald went on to say that to keep up with this growth, the College must ensure that convenient and affordable housing is available to its students.

The purchase of The Islander makes the College the first College in Canada with an operating hotel to support its programming. Like Cornell University, Bermuda College and many schools in Europe and Australia, Holland College will now be able to provide a unique training opportunity to students enrolled in its hotel, tourism, and travel programs.