Town of Winterton to Advance Development of Wooden Boat Museum

The Town of Winterton, well-known for its legacy of skilled wooden boat builders, has received more than $33,000 from the Provincial Government to continue to advance the development of the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador.

�Boat building represents an important aspect of the province�s heritage and through its preservation we are helping to enhance tourism infrastructure on the Baccalieu Trail,� said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. �The Provincial Government�s funding helps celebrate the legacy of boat builders and solidifies the Town of Winterton as a focal point for wooden boat building in the province.�

With the support of the Provincial Government, the Town of Winterton, through its Heritage Advisory Board, will carry-out such marketing and communications activities as participation in trade shows and workshops and the development of a new website. In addition, it will expand interpretive exhibits, acquire and restore traditional boats, and conduct a comprehensive analysis of boat builders from across the province.

�The Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador is different than many other museum projects because while it is about preserving tradition and artifacts, it is also about passing traditional knowledge, skills and techniques on so that a very colourful and interesting part of the province is not lost,� said Bruce Whitelaw, the museum�s chair.

The museum, just 90 minutes from St. John�s on the Baccalieu Trail, celebrates the skill and ingenuity of the province�s boat builders. Programming incorporates boat collection and construction activities and interpretive exhibits that capture and interpret the history of wooden boat building in Newfoundland and Labrador.

�The historical value of boat building in the area will be greatly enhanced with this funding,� said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, MHA, Trinity-Bay de Verde. �Such traditions are an important aspect of the cultural fabric of a community, and speak to the skill and dedication of its people. I am very pleased with the promotion of this long-standing tradition in my district.�

The Town of Winterton is also scheduled to host its second annual Wooden Boat Building Conference on September 25-27. For more information on the museum and associated events, please visit www.woodenboat.ca.

This initiative was funded through the Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund (RSDF), which through Budget 2009: Building on Our Strong Foundation was increased to an $8 million fund. Administered by the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, the RSDF provides non-repayable contributions to economic development agencies and community groups for initiatives that address regional and sectoral development and diversification.

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2009 07 28                                                    9:55 a.m.