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NLIS 8
May 19, 2000
(Development and Rural Renewal)

 

Right Whale skeleton will be focal point of Red Bay exhibit

The Town of Red Bay will build a new exhibit featuring a fully assembled Right Whale skeleton. The skeleton, which is about 450 years old, along with literally thousands of other whale bones, was found at the bottom of Red Bay. Basques whalers hunted the whales along this coast in the 16th century, processing valuable whale oil for lucrative markets in Europe. The reassembled skeleton accompanied by interpretation panels and complementary exhibits will be displayed at the Red Bay Community Centre.

Funding for installation of a new exhibit will come from the Canada-Newfoundland Agreement for the Economic Development Component of the Canadian Fisheries Adjustment and Restructuring Initiative (EDC). The $200,262 announced today by MP Lawrence O�Brien, on behalf George Baker, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and by Yvonne Jones, MHA - Cartwright-L�anse aux Clair, on behalf of Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, will cover the costs of planning, design, fabrication and installation of the exhibit. The exhibit will be a valuable addition to the interpretation of the Red Bay National Historic Site which attracted approximately 7,000 visitors last year, a 31per cent increase over 1998.

"The people of Red Bay, in pursuing this project, are further developing a magnificent historical resource. The Government of Canada, through Parks Canada, has made a significant investment in the preservation of the Red Bay site, and I am delighted to see that this has become a community, provincial and national effort," said Mr. O�Brien. "This kind of cooperation is building stronger communities throughout our province; communities that respect the great diversity of resources that can be utilized in building a stronger economy for us all."

Ms. Jones said enhancement of the Red Bay site is important to the overall preservation of the rich archaeological heritage of the Labrador Straits area. "Known as the World Whaling Capital in the late 16th century, Red Bay continues to be an economic force in the Straits area. The new exhibit will further enable this national historic site to make a significant contribution to the local economy, particularly to our growing tourism industry," she said.

"We are very pleased with today�s announcement," said Red Bay mayor, Wade Earle. "With the recent launch of the Apollo on the Straits crossing, and the official opening of the Red Bay Interpretation Centre this summer we are looking forward to a significant increase in tourism in this area. It�s particularly appropriate that we are making this announcement during Tourism Awareness Month. We�ve come a long way in a short time, and we�re very pleased to be working in partnership with the province and the federal government in preserving our area�s rich history."

The three-year $81.25 million Canada-Newfoundland Agreement for the Economic Development Component of the Canadian Fisheries Adjustment and Restructuring Initiative (EDC) was signed on August 16, 1999. The agreement is designed to build upon the strategic plans and priorities of the Regional Economic Development Boards to improve the long-term economic climate in regions impacted by the downturn in the groundfish industry.

It is delivered federally by ACOA and provincially by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

Media contact:

Doug Burgess
ACOA
(709) 772-2935

Josephine Cheeseman
Department of Development and Rural Renewal
(709) 729-4570

2000 05 19                                                         4:30 p.m.


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