September 3, 1996
(COOPERATION AGREEMENT)

Viking Trail Region to benefit from federal-provincial support

Communities along the Viking Trail, from Norris Point to St. Anthony to Englee, will be improving the tourism infrastructure and landscape over the coming year with the assistance of the federal and provincial governments. Through the Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement (SRDA), $950,000 has been allocated to the Viking Trail Tourism Association (VTTA) for a number of strategically designed community-based projects such as lookouts, picnic areas and interpretation sites.

Gerry Byrne, MP - Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte, on behalf of Lawrence MacAulay, Secretary of State (Veterans), (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), and Judy Foote, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, announceed August 30. Early tenders for certain aspects of the multiproject development will be let immediately and work will start shortly thereafter.

"For many reasons, this particular initiative is a very important one," said Mr. Byrne. "It's creating employment, and it's giving an additional boost to an already growing tourism industry on the Great Northern Peninsula. But this group of projects is especially important as an example of cooperation among communities and across economic zones. This is how communities work together toward common goals."

"These developments along the Viking Trail represent what community-based, regional economic development is all about," said Ms. Foote. "The Viking Trail Tourism Association has prepared a proposal which spans two economic zones and seeks to provide benefit to the whole region through a coordinated approach to industry development. Combining our strengths through forming partnerships between both governments and local organizations alike clearly demonstrates that a regional approach to economic development is working."

"We are delighted with this announcement," said Barb Genge, president of the VTTA. "Communities and businesses all over the peninsula will benefit economically from the public landscaping projects governments are supporting here today. We expect tourism to be a major contributor to the 21st century economy on the Great Northern Peninsula. This project is another solid brick in the foundation building toward the Viking millennium," she said.

Twelve landscaping and tourism infrastructure projects will be captured under the VTTA initiative. They range in value from $40,000 for site development at the entrance to Bar'd Island, Englee, to $150,000 for a waterfront walkway in Rocky Harbour.

"An immediate impact of this undertaking is that it will create 38 construction and development jobs," said Mr. Byrne. "Even more important is the effect these projects will have on tourism. The Viking Trail has proven that it can attract tourists from all over the world at a time when the industry is particularly competitive. By investing in these improvements, we are strengthening the area's attractions even more."

"The Great Northern Peninsula and Southern Labrador have been identified as major areas for tourism development in the province," said Ms. Foote. "Visitors have increasingly made the Viking Trail one of their destinations and its development will greatly increase the tourism potential of the whole region. We expect the new attractions to contribute significantly to the revitalization and diversification of the economy in that area and across the province."

The sites to be developed as a result of today's announcement are:

• an interpretative site, Trout River;
• a lookout, Norris Point;
• a waterfront walkway, Rocky Harbour;
• a whale watch, Daniel's Harbour;
• tourist chalet, Hawke's Bay;
• coastal trail, Port Saunders;
• waterfront walkway, Port aux Choix;
• Old Ferrole Island Interpretation Site, Plum Point;
• wintering interpretation site, Deep Cove;
• Labrador Lookout, Shoal Cove East;
• Fishing Point Park, St. Anthony; and
• Bar'd Island entrance, Englee.

The SRDA is a federal/provincial agreement cost-shared 70/30 between the two levels of government respectively. It is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and provincially by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

Contact: Paul Murphy, COOPERATION Communications, (709) 772-0219.