Restorations to preserve Port Union's unique cultural heritage

Brian Tobin, federal Minister of Industry, Robert Thibault, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Ross Wiseman, MHA for Trinity North, today announced $1.5 million in funding for the Sir William Coaker Heritage Foundation to restore the Fishermen's Advocate Building in Port Union.

"This funding will enable the community of Port Union to continue to build on its designation as an historic district," said Brian Tobin, Minister of Industry, who was in Port Union to participate in the announcement. "This is a unique community, which is capitalizing on an opportunity to enhance the tourism industry in this region."

Work on the Fishermen's Advocate Building will include interior refinishing and repair, installation of utilities, construction of new offices and washrooms, restoration of existing artifacts and the purchase and installation of interpretive displays. 

Mr. Wiseman, on behalf of Beaton Tulk, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Rural Development, said: "In addition to preserving our past, this project will attract visitors and help develop our tourism industry. Building tourism products can be an excellent way of developing business opportunities and creating jobs, as we have identified in the province's Final Report on the Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth." 

Sir William Coaker, who was declared a Person of National Historic Significance by the Government of Canada, founded the Fishermen's Union Trading Company (FUTC) and came to Port Union in 1917 to establish Canada's only community to be built by a union. The town included several industries, such as shipbuilding, seal processing, coopering, fish processing, a mill shop operation, soft drink bottling, iron-mongering and hydroelectricity. The heritage district of Port Union today includes the church, factory, retail shop, fish store, and several of the duplexes which housed FUTC employees.

"We are excited about this initiative to restore the Fishermen's Advocate Building in Port Union," said Bruce Sweetland, chair of the Sir William F. Coaker Heritage Foundation. "This building is of great importance to our community and it will highlight Port Union's unique fishing heritage."

Sweetland added that the story of Coaker and the heritage district of Port Union that will be depicted will be attractive to tourists who have an interest in the history of Newfoundland, the fishery, labour unions, industrial development, and historical archives and artifacts.

The project was supported through the Canada-Newfoundland Agreement for the Economic Development Component of the Canadian Fisheries Adjustment and Restructuring Initiative (EDC), which contributed $500,000 as well as the Canada-Newfoundland Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement (CEDA), which provided $1,000,000 to the initiative. 

The three-year $81.25 million EDC was signed two years ago in order 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. CEDA is a six-year, $95.4 million initiative designed to complement existing federal and provincial programs and agreements. 

The two agreements are delivered federally by ACOA and provincially by the Department of Industry, Trade and Rural Development.

Media contact:

Heidi Bonnell, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Industry, (613) 995-9001

Doug Burgess, Director, Communications, ACOA, (709) 772-2935 

Jennifer Savoy, Press Secretary , Office of the Minister of State for ACOA, (613) 941-7291

Tracy Kenney, Industry, Trade and Rural Development, (709) 729-2257

Bruce Sweetland, Chair, Sir William Coaker Heritage Foundation, (709) 469-2211

2001 08 14                                                    4:05 p.m.