Lighthouse display at Confederation Court Mall proving big draw

Sixteen large models of lighthouses are proving to be quite a draw at the Confederation Court Mall in Charlottetown.

The five-foot high, hand-crafted lighthouses are sponsored by businesses and individuals and have been decorated by artists from across the Island.

"We are getting tremendous reaction," said Rachel Hope, general manager of Dyne Holdings, which operates the mall. "Anyone who sees the lighthouses talks about how beautiful they are."

They feature different painted scenes ranging from a sailing ship to a city skyline to Anne of Green Gables. They are located in different areas around the mall.

They are being presented and sponsored by the mall, but the display is organized by the Lighthouse 2016 Project.

It's goal is to raise money for charity. After the lighthouse display finishes in September, each one will be auctioned off.

The proceeds will be split between non-profit and charity groups, and the artists who made each lighthouse.

It has already created a lot of interest, according to Hope.

"We are getting more interaction and engagement on social media than we've had about any of our events that we've had in the past," Hope said. "Overall, we think this is going to be a tremendous event for the mall, not only for locals but for tourists alike.

"We think that cruise ship people and also meetings and convention participants will make an effort to come to the mall to see the lighthouses."

A similar project was done in Summerside as part of the P.E.I. 2014 celebrations.

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