NLIS 1
June 9, 2005
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)
BMO signs on as corporate sponsor
for The Rooms; opening
ceremonies to be open to the public and feature Rick Mercer as the Master of
Ceremonies
Paul Shelley, Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation, along with Dean Brinton, Chief Executive Officer of The
Rooms Corporation, today announced that The Rooms has successfully secured BMO
Financial Group as a corporate sponsor. The official opening ceremonies for The
Rooms on June 29 will take place on The Rooms grounds and will be open to the
public of Newfoundland and Labrador. CBC television personality and native
Newfoundlander Rick Mercer will be the Master of Ceremonies for the official
opening ceremonies.
Minister Shelley said government is pleased that the Bank of Montreal sees the
value in The Rooms as an outlet for education and outreach and has come on board
as a corporate sponsor. "Government�s continued investment in the province�s
arts and heritage is evidenced by its support of The Rooms and its mandate, in
particular its education and outreach activities," said Minister Shelley. "The
support of BMO speaks to the corporate community�s recognition of The Rooms and
the role it plays in preserving and supporting this province�s arts and heritage
for generations to come. Through long-term corporate partnerships, The Rooms
will be able to enhance its education and outreach potential through the
expansion of its traveling exhibitions and through continued partnerships with
local community groups."
With a view towards developing and supporting longer-term initiatives with The
Rooms, BMO is initially contributing $37,500 towards The Rooms opening
ceremonies, with a longer term commitment to education and outreach.
Rob Pearce, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Personal and Commercial
Client Group of BMO Bank of Montreal, who was present for today�s announcement,
indicated that BMO is pleased to be the first corporate sponsor of The Rooms.
"The Bank of Montreal was the first bank to open in Newfoundland and Labrador in
1894 and, since that time, we have continued to be an integral part of the
socio-economic life in the province," said Mr. Pearce. "My colleagues and I are
extremely pleased to join in the June 29 celebration of this exciting new
facility that will house The Rooms Provincial Archives, Art Gallery and Museum
and will serve as a center for the promotion of Newfoundland and Labrador�s
dynamic arts and heritage. At BMO, we�re committed to lifelong learning and are
looking into an enduring relationship and partnership with The Rooms and its
educational and public outreach programs for children and adults from across the
province."
Mr. Pearce acknowledged Premier Danny Williams and his government�s commitment
to culture and The Rooms, noting that this will enhance awareness of the
province�s arts and heritage and promote the artistic activities and talents of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and young people in particular.
Mr. Brinton provided preliminary details on the official opening ceremonies on
June 29. "The Rooms is a provincial institution designed for all people of the
province, standing as testament to our sense of pride and our sense of place in
what is uniquely us," said Mr. Brinton. "The Rooms is a public resource and we
invite the residents of the province to join with us in celebrating the official
opening. We are very pleased that the opening ceremonies will feature prominent
Newfoundland and Labrador artists and we are pleased to officially announce that
Rick Mercer has agreed to be the Master of Ceremonies for this exciting event."
The official opening ceremonies for The Rooms will take place on The Rooms
grounds beginning at 12:00 p.m. and will be open to all residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador. The ceremony will be 90 minutes in duration and will
include a wealth of talent from prominent Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Further details regarding the official opening ceremonies will be unveiled in
the coming days.
Rick Mercer, a native of St. John�s, is the current host of Rick Mercer�s Monday
Report, a weekly half-hour of topical comedy on CBC Television. Mr. Mercer began
his career in comedy performing and writing a series of one-man stage shows,
beginning with Show Me the Button, I'll Push, which debuted at the National Arts
Centre in 1990 and went on to tour across the country. Subsequent theatre
performances included I've Killed Before, I'll Kill Again (1992) and Canada: A
Good Place to Hide (1995).
In 1994, Mr. Mercer launched his television career as a performer and writer on
the topical weekly show This Hour Has 22 Minutes, which he left in 2001. In
1998, he joined Gerald Lunz and Michael Donovan to create the satirical dramatic
series Made in Canada, where he again starred and contributed as a writer. In
2001, his special Talking to Americans became the highest rated Canadian comedy
special of all time.
Rick Mercer has received over 25 Gemini Awards for television writing and
performance. In June 2003, he was given the Sir Peter Ustinov Award at the Banff
Television Festival. In 2002, he was presented with an honorary Doctor of
Letters from Laurentian University. He is the sole civilian recipient of the
Canadian Armed Forces Commander Land Force Command commendation in recognition
of his support of Canadian peacekeepers. Among numerous other awards, he has
been co-named Journalist of the Year at the Atlantic Journalism Awards, Artist
of the Year from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, and he has received
a number of Canadian Comedy Awards. In November 2004, Mr. Mercer received the
National Arts Centre Award at the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards and,
in December 2004, he received two Gemini Awards: Best Writing in a Comedy and
Best Performance in a Comedy for the CBC Television series Made in Canada.
Hosting duties have included the East Coast Music Awards, the 2000 Gemini
Awards, the Juno Awards, the history series It Seems Like Yesterday and the
annual Canada Day show from Parliament Hill.
Media contact:
-
Deanne Hayward, The Rooms,
Director of Marketing and Development, (709) 691-5681,
deannehayward@gov.nl.ca.
-
Tansy Mundon, Tourism, Culture
and Recreation, (709) 729-0928, 685-1741,
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca
-
Ronald Monet, BMO Financial
Group, (514) 594-2501,
ronald.monet@bmo.com
BACKGROUNDER:
Operational hours and admission fees set for The Rooms
The Rooms will open to the public on
June 29 and will remain open year-round. On a go-forward basis from June to
October 15, The Rooms will be open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m., and on Wednesday and Thursday evenings until 9:00 p.m. The Rooms
Provincial Art Gallery and Provincial Museum will also be open on Sunday from
12:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m. From October 16 to May 31, The Rooms will follow the same
hours but will remain closed on Mondays. The institution will be open on all
statutory holidays with the exception of Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year�s
Day and Good Friday.
Admission fees were approved by the Board of Directors and were determined based
on a comparison of other institutions in Canada. Fees range from $3 for children
ages six to 16 to $5 for adult admission. Senior citizens and students have a
reduced admission fee of $4, while children under the age of five will enter at
no charge. Family passes are also available.
Admission fees shall apply year round. The Archives regular researcher fees will
apply.
Admission rates for the 2005/2006 season:
Category |
Regular Admission Fees |
Special Exhibit
Admission(based on a $7 exhibit) |
Adults |
$5 |
$12 |
Seniors
(age 60, older) |
$4 |
$10 |
Children
(age 5, under) |
Free |
Free |
Children/Youth
(age 6 - 16) |
$3 |
$3 |
Students
(valid student ID) |
$4 |
$4 |
Family
(max.2 adults, 2 youth) |
$15 |
$20 |
Special Exhibits
In order that The Rooms may offer special exhibits to its clients, a special fee
must be charged. For each special exhibit, The Rooms shall determine the cost of
admission based upon the cost of the exhibit (range of $5 to $10 or more) plus
the cost of admission to regular exhibitions and galleries at The Rooms.
Free Admission
To ensure that all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are provided access to The
Rooms, admission will be free to all visitors on Wednesday nights from 6:00 p.m.
to 9:00 p.m. and on the first Saturday of every month.
2005 06 09
10:00 a.m.
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