NLIS 2
February 13, 2003
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)
(Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education)

 

Update on provincial initiatives for Western Region

Premier Roger Grimes, along with Julie Bettney, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, Sandra Kelly, Minister of Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education, and Dr. Axel Meisen, President of Memorial University, today provided an update on major collaborative provincial initiatives for the western region regarding cultural and natural heritage, and education.

Minister Bettney provided an update on the West Coast Exhibition cultural facility which will serve the arts and heritage needs of the west coast of Newfoundland and the southeast coast of Labrador. It will cost approximately $3.25 million to construct the new facility at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook. The Provincial Museum will provide an additional $650,000 to be directed towards the museum exhibition which will be housed at the Corner Brook Museum. A call for proposals will be published in this coming Saturday�s newspapers, and a decision on the submissions will be made by April 3, 2003. On July 1, 2003, the tender for construction will be announced, with the goal of construction start-up in August.

An update on the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Science (IBES) was also provided by Minister Bettney. The institute will bring together Memorial University and the provincial government to enhance expertise on resource conservation issues. The science division of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation will provide funding for staffing, administrative and operational program costs and, in turn, will contribute qualified and suitable personnel and technical assistance in the areas of teaching, student supervision and research. The institute will have access to the science division�s data, collections, research facilities and sites throughout the province. The institute will officially open on or about the end of March.

Premier Roger Grimes said government is meeting its commitment to nurture and preserve our province�s culture through facilities such as The Rooms and the Exhibition Centre. Furthermore, government is working with the academic community to enhance our expertise in the province on resource conservation issues through the Institute for Biodiversity.

"We understand the need to foster an environment where culture, science and education can work collaboratively in order to meet the needs and expectations of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Premier Grimes. "These updates are further evidence that this government recognizes the significant value of arts and heritage. It also signifies our understanding of a comprehensive approach to improve conservation of our natural resources and ensure that biodiversity and ecosystem research and the knowledge requirements of government become a focus of the academic community."

"The need to protect and enhance our cultural and natural resources is becoming more and more important," said Minister Bettney. "One of the major attractions of this province is our pristine environment. This institute is an innovative and comprehensive approach to conserving and understanding our natural resources. Furthermore, the Exhibition Centre will do its part to improve access by residents and visitors to the arts and heritage of our province."

Minister Kelly said government recognized the need to invest in infrastructure renewal initiatives. Approximately $4.5 million was provided to Memorial University to refurbish the exterior of the Arts and Science Building at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook.

"Government is committed to working with Memorial University to address immediate needs to its aging infrastructure," said Minister Kelly. "For this reason, we were pleased to provide funding to address safety concerns related to exterior brick work and to enhance the overall look of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College�s administrative building. These enhancements, in addition to $3 million invested in 1999-2000 to construct a residence complex on campus, will assist the college in recruiting students, both provincially, nationally and internationally."

"By locating the new Exhibition Centre and the new Biodiversity Institute on the campus of Memorial University's Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, government is supporting Grenfell College's development as a first-rate institution for teaching, learning, research and creativity in the liberal arts and sciences," said Dr. Axel Meisen. "While these new initiatives are highly visible, I must also commend the provincial government for its assistance in dealing with one that was less novel - we deeply appreciate government's leadership and financial assistance in resolving serious deficiencies in Grenfell College's Arts and Science Building. Thanks to the $4.5 million provincial government investment, this 28 year-old building is now on par with the other modern buildings on the Grenfell College campus."

Dr. Axel Meisen said the university is pleased to partner with the provincial government to realize these three initiatives which will benefit the cultural, educational and research activities of Grenfell College campus and the West Coast in general.

Media contact:
          Carl Cooper, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960
          Melony O�Neill, Tourism, Culture and Recreation, (709) 729-0928
          Tansy Mundon, Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education, (709) 729-6573

BACKGROUNDER
West Coast Exhibition Centre

The decision to create a provincial West Coast Exhibition Centre in Corner Brook was announced by the provincial government on December 14, 1999. Given the collaborative nature of the proposed initiative, several comprehensive consultation sessions were held to ensure stakeholder input was considered. These important consultations informed and further refined the concept for the provincial art gallery, archives and museum services for the western region. Government is now ready to proceed with this exciting initiative.

This provincial Exhibition Centre will serve the arts and heritage needs of the residents, artists, schools and tourists of the west coast of Newfoundland and the southeast coast of Labrador, as well as support the academic programming of Grenfell College.

The centre will be dedicated primarily to the creation, display, preservation and interpretation of works of art of provincial and national significance.  The centre will also have a capacity and a mandate to host large traveling exhibitions of museum artifacts and it will house an archival space designed to provide researchers with access to the resources of the Provincial Archives and Memorial University, both on-line and through use of microfilm copies. Exhibits will be shared between the provincial cultural institutions in St. John�s and the new facility in Corner Brook.

The West Coast Exhibition Centre will support the mandates of the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador and Sir Wilfred Grenfell College. The facility will draw on the collections and resources of these institutions and agencies to curate and mount exhibitions, to undertake public education initiatives and to host regional, provincial and national traveling exhibitions.

The centre will provide a focus for our contemporary artists on the west coast and for creative and educational activity, as well it will be an attraction for residents and for non-resident tourists year-round. It will provide a forum for the presentation of artistic expression and showcase collections of natural and cultural heritage of provincial significance. It will also be an asset to the academic and outreach programming of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, especially in the area of fine arts.

The provincial government will provide $3.35 million for the construction of the facility, which will be located on the Sir Wilfred Grenfell College campus. It will create approximately three new cultural resource positions. A public advisory committee will provide input into the operation of the facility. It will be operated by the university through an annual operating agreement with The Rooms.

The centre will include:

 temporary gallery/exhibition space;
 environmentally-controlled collections storage space;
 processing space;
 workshop area;
 multimedia lecture theatre;
 multimedia research room;
 cloakroom and lockers;
 public programming space;
 office space.

The exact location of the building site will be recommended by the architectural engineering consultants, taking into account factors such as impact on activities of faculty, staff and students, traffic flow, landscaping, parking/access for bus tours, regional conventions and special public events.

A Provincial Museum exhibition for the west coast will also be made accessible to the residents of the western region. This exhibition will be housed at the Corner Brook Museum and Archives and be operated in partnership with that organization and the City of Corner Brook. Approximately $650,000 will be spent on this provincial exhibition.

BACKGROUNDER
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Science

In the 2002 Budget, the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Science (IBES) was announced as part of an innovative and comprehensive approach to improve conservation of the province�s natural resources. Government announced $1.8 million to enhance science initiatives, part of which is the establishment of a provincial Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Science to be located in Corner Brook. This funding brings government�s commitment to science to $2.8 million on an annualized basis.

The Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Science will provide leadership in the coordination and delivery of biodiversity research in the province through academic partnerships, community stewardship and public outreach.

The institute will establish the province as a leader in natural heritage conservation. It brings together Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), the provincial government, and other community partners to initiate biodiversity research relevant to conservation priorities in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The institute will be located in Corner Brook at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College. It is a province-wide initiative that will provide direct linkages with government, the academic community and the general community for research pertaining to the conservation of our natural resources and areas. The institute, in addition to its head office in Corner Brook, will have a satellite office and student work space at MUN�s St. John�s campus.

The institute will be a government entity, chaired by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation�s executive director for science. The Science Division will provide funding for four positions, administrative and operational program costs. A board of directors will help develop policies and operating principles for the institute. The 12-member board will reflect the province-wide nature of the institute and its focus as a science institute. It will include representation from government, MUN, College of the North Atlantic, educational and research organizations, and the community-at-large.

The Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Science is to officially open by the end of March 2003.

BACKGROUNDER
Arts and Science Building Refurbishment Project

The Arts and Science Building was the first building built to house Sir Wilfred Grenfell

College, Memorial University�s Corner Brook campus. Constructed in 1974-75, it contains a student residence, classrooms, laboratories, sport and recreations facilities, as well as offices for faculty and administrative employees.

Refurbishment was undertaken to replace failing exterior masonry, windows and doors, and roofing. In order to tackle this costly but essential project, the university requested and received financial assistance from the provincial government. Total cost of the refurbishment project was $4.5 million, provided by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The construction contract was awarded to Brook Enterprises Ltd. of Corner Brook.

Construction work completed on the Arts and Science Building (including dormitory residence and pool/gym areas) includes: exterior masonry, structural reinforcements, roofing replacement, windows replacement and exterior doors replacement. The project is now complete.

Government�s significant commitment to the refurbishment of the Arts and Science Building at Grenfell College underlines the importance of maintaining university structures. Thanks to the $4.5 million government investment, the Arts and Science Building is now on par with the other modern buildings on the Grenfell campus. Memorial University is fortunate that the provincial government is a major partner in addressing the infrastructure renewal of its campuses.

2003 02 13                                       12:10 p.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement