The Rooms to launch new Web site

www.therooms.ca to become a virtual link to 
new cultural and heritage facility for Newfoundland and Labrador

With the click of a mouse button, Jim Walsh, parliamentary secretary to Sandra Kelly, acting Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, officially launched The Rooms new Web site today at Prince of Wales Collegiate. The Rooms is Newfoundland and Labrador�s new $40 million cultural and heritage facility which has begun construction at Fort Townshend in central St. John�s. Mr. Walsh was appearing on behalf of Minister Kelly, who was unable to attend the event.

The Web site is intended to provide visitors with in-depth information about The Rooms project including the history of the site, the architecture, archaeological excavation and future programming for the facility. There is a very large quantity of high-resolution graphic and pictorial content, as well as written information, ensuring that the site is interesting and accessible to a broad range of visitors. Links are provided to the Newfoundland Museum, the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador and the provincial archives � the three institutions which will be situated in The Rooms when it opens in 2003 - as well as a host of related sites across Canada and the world. Also included is an interactive guest book for those who wish to provide comments in an interactive form on the site, as well as to share their views on the development of The Rooms and its exhibits.

As part of the testing before the launch, the site underwent an evaluation by a group of 15 students at Prince of Wales Collegiate. These young evaluators, who range in age from 16 to 18 years old, were selected by their teacher Bridget Ricketts because they were either particularly interested in Canadian History or were members of PWC�s Webmaster Club. Over the past few weeks, they have been evaluating the site for its content, ease of navigation and overall attractiveness and appeal.

While reviewing the site prior to its launch, Minister Kelly noted the depth of information available to visitors on the site. "We strongly believe in the value of the Internet as a communications tool for this important project," said Minister Kelly. "In my dual role as minister of this department as well as Industry, Trade and Technology, I see this technology as an important way to reach out to the people of this province, so I am very pleased that The Rooms will have this rich link to the many stakeholders who are so interested in the development."

The public is encouraged to visit the site at www.therooms.ca.

Media contact:

Deborah Glassman
Manager of Communications and Development
(709) 729-5002
dglassman@mail.gov.nf.ca

2000 11 29 1:50 p.m.