June 18, 1996
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

The following statement was issued today by Beaton Tulk, Government House Leader, on behalf of Sandra Kelly, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Discovery Centre Announced for Gros Morne

I rise today to advise the Honourable Members that the three outstanding projects from the Federal-Provincial Agreement on Gros Morne National Park will be actioned. The projects, totalling more than $5 million, include: cross-country ski trails; Trout River campground upgrade; and (most significantly) the construction of a Discovery Centre for Gros Morne National Park.

Gros Morne National Park is a key tourism generator for the province and a cornerstone of the Viking Trail and Labrador Straits tourism initiatives. The Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation has been working closely with Canadian Heritage on the Discovery Centre project - a project which will improve the region's overall tourism potential. The proposed facility will have interpretative, educational and scientific capabilities, and outreach potential that will have both national and international appeal.

The federal and provincial governments have made significant individual and collaborative investments in developing the West Coast into a quality tourism destination. This project is indicative of a highly successful partnership between: Parks Canada, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial University, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, West Viking College, Centre for Forest and Environmental Studies, Gros Morne Co-operating Association, Joint Council of Bonne Bay South, and five West Coast/Northern Peninsula school boards.

Gros Morne National Park became Canada's 10th World Heritage Site in 1987, and the nomination was based on the park's geological wealth, its spectacular glacier-carved scenery, its arctic and boreal fauna, its amazing floristic diversity, and its 4,500 year history of human habitation. The aforementioned projects are being funded by the Government of Canada with non-financial support being provided by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.