NLIS 1
September 4, 2003
(Industry, Trade and Rural Development)

 

Funding will help Newfoundland Historic Trust open doors to heritage attractions

Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and Newfoundland and Labrador�s representative in the federal cabinet and Judy Foote, Minister of Industry, Trade and Rural Development, announced today that the Newfoundland Historic Trust will receive $12,600 to support Doors Open.

Doors Open is an international program that gives public access to otherwise inaccessible areas in buildings of architectural and/or historic significance. The original Doors Open was developed in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1998, 44 countries participated in the program. To date, the program has attracted some 19 million visitors to 28,000 sites world-wide.

"We have some of the oldest architecture in North America, and obviously not all of that is public space," said Minister Byrne. "This program will give the general public an opportunity to see some of those hidden treasures that are part of our collective heritage. Judging by the program�s success in other jurisdictions, there is a keen interest in this aspect of cultural history, and I am very pleased that ACOA is able to assist the Newfoundland Historic Trust in their pilot project."

The Newfoundland Historic Trust has been a champion for preserving heritage structures in this province," said Minister Foote. "The Southcott Awards Program alone has inspired many property owners to take on the sometimes difficult and often expensive task of preserving our built heritage. Doors Open will further help visitors and residents alike appreciate the beauty and the importance of the historic buildings that are so much a part of our culture and growing tourism industry."

Doors Open identifies sites that meet the program�s objectives and co-ordinates opening times with site owners and managers. Doors Open sites will be accessible to the public, September 6-7. Buildings opened during the pilot project include the Newman Wine Vaults, the Basilica Museum, the Hindu Temple, Mile One Stadium, Commissariat House and many others.

"As this is a pilot project, we have included buildings in the St. John�s area only for this year," said John O�Dea, president of the Newfoundland Historic Trust. "Our staff worked with site managers, or owners, to develop appropriate interpretation, and to assist any sites that wanted to combine this event with guided walks and tours, concerts, exhibitions, craft displays, re-enactments � any activity that they feel would add to visitors� experience of the site. We�re very excited about this and, certainly, we hope that we can expand the program in the future."

The Cultural and Heritage Industries Program of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement was a three-year, $3.4 million fund administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Canadian Heritage, and provincially by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. The fund, which concluded in 2003, was overseen by advisory committees comprised of leaders in the cultural and heritage industries in this province.

For more information, please call:

Stephanie Lewis
Communications Assistant
Minister of State for ACOA
(613) 941-7241

Doug Burgess
Director, Public Affairs

ACOA
(709) 772-2935

Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Industry, Trade and Rural Development
(709) 729-4570

Dale Jarvis
Vice President
Newfoundland Historic Trust
739-7870

www.doorsopendays.com

2003 09 04                                        10:45 a.m.


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