Minister accepts St. John�s Women�s Centre records for Provincial Archives

The Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador has acquired records relating to the administration, operation, and development of the St. John�s Women�s Centre. Kevin Aylward, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, accepted these at an event held at the Colonial building today.

These records include correspondence, financial records, internal papers, reports and minutes, reference materials, events and activities, publications, and radio shows from between 1967 and 1999.

"These records are a wonderful documentation of the successes and challenges the St. John�s Women Centre and the St. John�s Status of Women Council have faced over the years," said Minister Aylward. "This is a timely acquisition as the St. John�s Status of Women Council is celebrating its 30^th anniversary. Today as we remark on this anniversary it invites us to look at the remarkable contribution women have made to our society in everyway, economically, socially, culturally in education and business, and I am pleased to say, politically. These records are the beginning of capturing the meaningful and significant story of the roles of women in this province. This also marks our continued acquisition efforts as we prepare for the move to our new home at The Rooms in 2004."

The St. John�s Status of Women Council was first formed in November 1972 under the name of the Newfoundland Status of Women Council with the objective of carrying out recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women. One of their first actions was to invest one their own money into a house on Military Road in St. John�s. This building opened as a permanent Women�s Centre in June 1977 and eventually had a lending library and printed reference section, a services directory for public use and free space for meetings of women�s groups and committees. Today, the committees and members of the St. John�s Status of Women Council still meet at the Women�s Centre on Military Road.

Media contact: Catherina Kennedy, Communications, (709) 729-0928.

2002 02 07                         10:30 a.m.