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March 22, 1999
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)


BACKGROUNDER
ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL IN PROVINCE BEING BUILT THROUGH TRAILS

Hiking and snowmobiling are key to developing the eco-tourism experience in Newfoundland and Labrador. Access to the back-country, the coastline and wild spaces requires a network of durable and scenic trails. Newfoundland and Labrador's trails must be competitive with other destinations, and must offer a variety of challenging and unique experiences if we are to maximize the economic potential of this natural resource.

To deliver on this requirement, the provincial government, along with local partners and the Government of Canada, have started a series of major trail building initiatives including:

T'Railway Provincial Park

  • The T'Railway Provincial Park is being developed by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation in coordination with the Newfoundland and Labrador T'Railway Council, municipalities, and federal departments. The T'Railway Park is a major contribution to the completion of the Trans-Canada Trail.

  • Through various funding sources, 13 projects totalling $1 million will bring trail components on stream for the spring and summer of 1999. These projects are located in Howley, Grand Falls-Windsor, Norris Arm, Gander, Benton, Gambo, Clarenville, Holyrood, Avondale, and northeast Avalon areas. Planning is still underway for the T'Railway bypass of the Pasadena to Corner Brook area. The T'Railway Council is currently preparing a five-year plan for further development.

East Coast Trail

  • In partnership with the federal government, the provincial government has invested $1.2 million in the East Coast Trail to further the development of a 195 kilometre trail from Cappahayden to St. John's.

Snowmobile Trails

  • In partnership with the federal government, Regional Economic Development Boards (REDBs) and business groups, the provincial government is developing a world-class snowmobile product, which the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations ranks as potentially the best in Canada.

  • To date, $5.9 million has been approved for the development of snowmobile trails on the island portion of the province over the next three years. The Labrador Trail Initiative will cost $5.6 million over the next three years, of which $2.7 million has already been approved for trail development in 1999 and 2000. When completed, the province will offer over 2,700 kilometres of groomed trails creating over 1,000 permanent direct and indirect jobs in the snowmobile industry, with a value of over $100 million to the provincial economy by 2004.

These initiatives complement the many local trails in the province, as well as the growing trail systems in the national parks.

Media contact: Tara Laing, Communications, (709) 729-0928.

1999 03 22


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