Funds support three initiatives in eastern Newfoundland

The Town of Clarenville, Chapel Arm Woodcrafts Limited and Trinity Historical Society will benefit from the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development�s Business Market Development Program and Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund. The initiatives include culture and heritage enhancements, expanding product lines and restoring a local cooperage, respectively. In total, $98,429 has been awarded to fund the projects.

�Supporting these initiatives will help advance economic activity in these towns, which is a priority for this department,� said Innovation, Trade and Rural Development Minister Trevor Taylor. �Each of these initiatives will enhance the eastern region�s development, and provide a service or attraction that previously was unavailable. These funding programs were specifically designed to foster this type of growth and development throughout our province.�

The Town of Clarenville has been awarded $64,045 from the Regional Sectoral Diversification Fund to complete Phases II and III of the Shoal Harbour Enhancement Initiative, including the development of a trail along the Shoal Harbour causeway. The completion of these phases will see the construction of two interpretive sites, a viewing platform, grounds work, a pedestrian walkway and stairs to link the new trail to already-established nearby trails. The benefits of this project are far-reaching and include increased tourism attractions for visitors, the preservation and interpretation of local heritage and culture, integration of the new trail into the existing community wellness trail system as well as the Newfoundland T�railway, and environmental protection and preservation.

Chapel Arm Woodcrafts Limited, based in Chapel Arm, will use $17,100 from the Business Market and Development Program to assist the company expand outside its present craft line and undertake new product development activities, enabling the company to increase sales and operate year round. Government�s funding investment will help the company to investigate new markets and increase revenues. This funding ensures the retention of two positions.

Trinity Historical Society will use $17,284 from the Regional Sectoral Diversification Fund to reconstruct a cooperage on the Lester-Garland Provincial Historic site in Trinity, Trinity Bay. The cooperage will be used as a living history and interpretative site, complementing other historic developments in the area. Specifically, this funding will allow the society to hire an experienced archaeologist, a field assistant and an historical researcher to conduct an archaeological assessment and conserve artifacts uncovered at the site. The construction of the cooperage will take place adjacent to the original site. Concurrent with this, interpretative panels and materials will be researched, constructed and installed to make this a living history site. It is anticipated the cooperage will be ready for a 2007 public opening.

The Business and Market Development Program provides new entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses with funding to help them acquire the necessary expertise to pursue new business ideas and new markets for their products or services. The program is intended to support new growth opportunities in the economy, such as value-added manufacturing activities and export-oriented opportunities.

The Regional Sectoral Diversification Fund is a $5 million fund of the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development and a component of the province�s Comprehensive Regional Diversification Strategy. The fund provides non-repayable contributions to economic development agencies for initiatives that address regional and sectoral development, diversification and innovation.

Media contact: Lynn Evans, Communications, (709) 729-4570, (709) 609-6290

2006 07 20                         2:10 p.m.