Jordan winery, restaurant Pearl Morissette looks to expand

Guests visiting a popular winery and restaurant in Jordan may soon be able to spend the night, if all goes according to plan.

Pearl Morissette is planning an expansion of its Jordan Road facilities with accommodation suites for patrons who wish to stay overnight.

The project would merge the southern parcel, which includes a winery, vineyard, bakehouse and restaurant, with the northern part, which is currently vacant.

The new additions would be a permanent feature on the property and would include an outdoor patio and a seasonal dining tent, as well as two buildings with glass walls and minimalist design - each containing nine suites - to provide a panoramic view of the peach orchard. A parking spot per suite will also be provided.

Covering an area of 27.37 hectares, the expansion is expected to include a new dining pavilion, occupying a similar location council previously approved for a seasonal dining pavilion.

Immerse people into the agricultural experience" is the project's intent, said John Ariens, associate director at Arcadis IBI Group, speaking for Pearl Morrissette at Lincoln's Feb. 27 committee of the whole meeting.

Concerns have been raised during an open house by members of the public regarding the impacts of the project on the property's existing peach orchard and its proximity to residential properties.

To address these concerns, revisions have been made to retain most of the peach orchard, and peach trees will be kept to provide buffering and screening from Jordan Road.

There will also be signage installed for the existing winery and restaurant complex to help patrons find the location without driving into nearby residences.

According to Ariens, the project aims to contribute to Lincoln's image as an agricultural centre of excellence, support the economic vitality of agricultural uses in a manner that maintains the strong agricultural identity of the area, and provide new tourism opportunities to attract and retain visitors.