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NLIS 6 July 8, 2003 (Industry, Trade and Rural Development) Coast of Bays Corporation to create Arts and Exploration Centre Bill Matthews, MP for Burin St. Georges, on behalf of Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Oliver Langdon, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs speaking on behalf of Judy Foote, Minister of Industry, Trade and Rural Development, today announced $998,953 for an Arts and Exploration Tourism Centre in the Coast of Bays region. The funds have been approved through the Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement. Minister Byrne on behalf of Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage, also announced that the project will receive $278,894 from Cultural Spaces Canada. Cultural Spaces Canada seeks to improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and innovation. It is also designed to increase access for Canadians to performing arts, visual arts, media arts, and to museum collections and heritage displays. The program supports the improvement, renovation and construction of arts and heritage facilities. "ACOA is focused on building long-term, sustainable economies throughout the province," said Mr. Matthews. "Today�s announcement is further evidence of the Government of Canada�s ongoing support for the plans and priorities of community and regional development groups in this province. The Coast of Bays Corporation and each of the 22 communities it encompasses have a vision for the future, and they have their plans in place. This is an exciting project, and I congratulate the Coast of Bays Corporation and look forward to the completion of this project." "As MHA for the district of Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune, I am pleased to see this innovative project proceed and I congratulate the community development groups that have worked hard to make it happen," said Minister Langdon. "Regional economic development has been, and will continue to be, a priority for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. By investing in the Arts and Exploration Tourism Centre, we are investing not only in the tourism and economic development for the Coast of Bays region, but also in rural Newfoundland and Labrador." The provincial Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs will invest an additional $162,500 toward facility construction and programming, including a new innovative technology for waste management at the Centre. The Arts and Exploration Tourism Centre will be located on the road to Bay d�Espoir, near the junction with the road to the Connaigre Peninsula, and close to both the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve and the Miawpukek (Conne River) Reserve. The centre will house heritage displays, provide space for performing arts, promote the development of artistic skills in the region and establish a resource of archives to preserve the region�s historic artifacts. For visitors, the centre will have interactive exhibits and displays showcasing the region�s cultural events, profiling the Conne River Reserve, and promoting the natural history of the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve. The center will also feature an art gallery, exhibit area and audio-visual room. The Arts and Exploration Tourism Centre will provide an anchor attraction for the Coast of Bays region, offering a focal point for travellers attracted by both the rich cultural offerings within the area and the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve. "Projects like this are essential elements of the region�s plan to move forward, and take advantage of economic opportunities that will see us into the future," said area MP, Bill Matthews. "Our resources have sustained us for many generations. The culture that emerges from that history, and the natural history of this unique place, will continue to provide opportunities for the people of this area." At 2,895 square kilometres, the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve is the province�s largest protected area. Considered to be the last major, unspoiled space on the island of Newfoundland, Bay du Nord encompasses two eco-systems: the maritime barrens and the central Newfoundland forest. It is a stable oasis for 15,000 woodland caribou and is traversed by the Bay du Nord River, a designated Canadian Heritage River. "For the Coast of Bays Corporation, today�s announcement marks an important milestone in the diversification of this region�s economy," said corporation chair, Don Stewart. "The next step is the selection of a management committee for the project, which will include representative municipalities, the business community and the Conne River Band Council. I believe that the approach we are taking, working together with government and the people, is leading us in the right direction in rural Newfoundland and Labrador." For more information, please call:
2003 07 08 3:50 p.m. |
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