February 25, 1998
(COOPERATION Agreement)

Church restoration part of colony of Avalon Project

Newfoundland's oldest stone church today received assistance to renovate its exterior walls, windows and altar. Holy Trinity Church at Ferryland, whose cornerstone was laid in May 1836, will receive $428,000 under the Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement.

The announcement was made today Fred Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal.

"The restored church will play an integral role in the development of the Colony of Avalon project and the marketing of Ferryland as a destination of interest to tourists," said Minister Mifflin, adding that the project will be implemented by the Holy Trinity Restoration Foundation Inc.

The restoration will create eight short-term jobs, some of them for descendants of the original builders of the church. When the restoration is complete, four positions will be created for tour guides. Restoration will begin early in the new year and should be complete by spring.

"Ferryland's reputation as an excellent archaeological site can only be enhanced by this new development which will complement the work of the Colony of Avalon Foundation and preserve a symbol of great religious significance in our province," said Minister Mifflin. "Many tourists take great interest in archeological structures, and with Ferryland being the first place in British North America where an English speaking priest said mass, there is a great story to be told through the church. That story is just part of the larger story of the Colony of Avalon in the 1600s."

Ten thousand tourists visited Ferryland last summer, an increase of 25 per cent since 1994, and the trend is expected to continue upwards.

"The Colony of Avalon is possibly the best preserved colonial site in British North America," said Minister Tulk. "Taken together with Holy Trinity Church they span more than three centuries of British history in the New World. These two projects are designed to complement each other. They are also helping Ferryland grow economically stronger, first by diversifying its economy and secondly by making it a major tourism anchor for the Southern Shore. Regional economic development such as this will lead to new commercial investment opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises throughout the region.

The Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement is a 70:30 cost-shared agreement between the federal and provincial governments. The agreement is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and provincially by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

Contact:
Paul Murphy
Cooperation Communications
(709) 772-0219

Clifford Grinling
Department of Development and Rural Renewal
(709) 729-7066