Dover Fault geological site to be developed as a tourist attraction

The Dover Fault, a well known geological site which marks the area where North American and European continents collided 150 million years ago, will become a new tourist attraction in Terra Nova/Bonavista North area. The federal and provincial governments committed $35,750 November 13 to the Town of Dover to develop the Bloody Reach Lookout Point, overlooking the Dover Fault.

The announcement was made by Fred Mifflin, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, on behalf of Lawrence MacAulay, Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (Veterans), and Tom Lush, MHA - Terra Nova, on behalf of Judy Foote, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal.

This initiative will increase tourists' visitation to the Town of Dover, leading to increased employment and spin off benefits for businesses in the area. As well, the Dover Fault site will be included on the itineraries of motor coach tours to the region, thus creating additional opportunities for viable small boat tours and crafts shops in the immediate vicinity.

"The tourism industry is looking for new and unique attractions to offer its very diverse clientele," said Mr. Mifflin. "This attraction certainly has the potential to attract new visitors to the Dover region. We are confident that the money spent by these new visitors will in turn encourage the establishment of other tourism-related businesses."

The Town of Dover will develop interpretation panels and a viewing platform for the site, as well as trails and picnic areas. General landscaping and site development, including a parking area, will complete the attraction.

"Capitalizing on the historical and geological significance of the Dover Fault is an economic initiative in the tourism sector which will diversify a traditionally forestry and fishery-related region," said Mr. Lush. "This initiative will complement existing tourism attractions and contribute to the tourism potential of the entire Terra Nova region, thereby increasing the long-term economic benefit that will be realized through increased visitation to the area."

Funding for today's announcement comes from the Canada/Newfoundland Strategic Regional Diversification COOPERATION Agreement (SRDA). The agreement is cost-shared 70:30 between the federal and provincial governments respectively. It is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and provincially by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

Contact: Paul Murphy, COOPERATION Communications, (709) 772-0219. or Susan Laite, Development and Rural Renewal, (709) 729-4570.