Province Provides Support to Prepare for Cupids400 Celebrations

In three years, the community of Cupids in Conception Bay will be 400 years old. To help prepare for celebrations, the Cuper�s Cove Heritage Foundation, a non-profit group in Cupids, has received $13,090 from the Provincial Government to develop an initial interpretation and marketing plan for the Cupids400 Celebrations.

"In August 1610, Cupids, Newfoundland, became the site of the first English colony in what is today Canada. In 2010, we will celebrate the 400^th anniversary of that event," said the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. "This will be a significant milestone in the history of our province; one that we hope will boost tourism and generate economic opportunities."

"When we announced the strategic cultural plan in March 2006 we outlined major policies and directions to preserve, support and develop our province�s cultural resources. This included providing $300,000 to the Cuper�s Cove Heritage Foundation to assist with planning the Cupids 400^th Anniversary in 2010," said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Tourism Culture and Recreation. "The Cuper�s Cove site is an excellent example of government�s support of heritage organizations and core cultural attractions that will not only protect and celebrate our cultural heritage but also enhance our tourism industry."

The history of Cupids, or Cuper�s Cove as it was initially known, is well documented through letters, diaries, and, since June 1995, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of four 17^th century buildings and over 120,000 artifacts. The John Guy 1610 plantation site has been identified by The Beaver: Canada�s History Magazine as one of the top 10 most important archaeology sites in Canada.

"With less than 1,000 days before 2010, there is much work to be done in a considerably short timeframe," said Peter MacKenzie, general manager, Cupids400. "This funding helps keep the development plan rolling along, as it will assist in contracting the required expertise to develop initial storyline, interpretation, and marketing plans for the Cupids400 milestone celebrations."

The funding announced today is provided through the Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund (RSDF), a fund of the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, and a component of the province�s Comprehensive Regional Diversification Strategy. In Budget 2007, the Provincial Government re-affirmed its commitment to community economic development with the continuation of the $5 million fund, which provides non-repayable contributions to economic development agencies for initiatives that address regional and sectoral development and diversification.

2007 05 17                                                    9:35 a.m.