Tourism, Culture and
Recreation
August 3, 2009Province Unveils
Architectural Plan for Expansion of Mary March
Provincial Museum
The Mary March Provincial Museum in
Grand Falls-Windsor is getting a 1,900 square foot
expansion that will more than triple the gallery space
available to house temporary exhibits.
The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister
of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, was in Grand
Falls-Windsor today to unveil an architectural rendering
of the extension. Construction is scheduled to begin
later this month.
"The Provincial Government is pleased
to have committed $856,000 to this project," said
Minister Jackman. "The larger, enhanced space will
increase the museum�s ability to accept travelling
exhibitions in their entirety, offering residents and
visitors alike with exposure to expanded, more diverse
exhibition content."
Minister Jackman was joined by the
Honourable Susan Sullivan, MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans;
Ray Hunter, MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South;
Rex Barnes, Mayor of Grand Falls-Windsor, and Dean
Brinton, CEO of The Rooms Corporation, on behalf of Dr.
Priscilla Renouf, Chair of the Board of Directors for
The Rooms Corporation.
The Mary March Provincial Museum is
managed as a regional operation of The Rooms Corporation
of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Rooms is committed to
facilitating greater public access to the provincial
collections, and to expanding educational opportunities.
As part of its efforts to profile the culture and
history of Newfoundland and Labrador, The Rooms and its
regional operations deliver curriculum-based school
programs. The demand for such services in Central
Newfoundland has been particularly strong and continues
to grow. In 2008 alone, the museum hosted 89 school
classes, consisting of more than 2,000 students.
"The expansion will impact positively
on the Grand Falls-Windsor area in that it will extend
the timeframe for the travelling exhibits program," said
Minister Sullivan. "This will allow all residents of
Central Newfoundland a better opportunity to view the
exhibits, and will be of particular benefit to
schoolchildren, who will be able to avail of enhanced
educational programming in the spring and throughout the
fall of the year. Furthermore, the town will benefit
from the economic spin-off that will be created through
the construction phase of this expansion."
"As members of the Regional Advisory
Committee, we are pleased that this project has been
developed and is now reaching fruition," said Rex
Barnes, Mayor of Grand Falls-Windsor. "A project such as
this is a positive step to enhancing the visitor�s
overall experience."
"Given the limited space it currently
occupies, the museum has had to delay the installation
of travelling exhibitions until the end of the school
year, or reduce the size of exhibitions, in order to
leave space for the education programs," said Dr. Renouf.
"With the expansion, the museum will be able to
accommodate both temporary exhibitions and related
educational programs throughout its season."
The building extension was designed by
MacCallum Architecture Ltd, with CBCL Consulting
Engineers and Structural Design Inc. (SDI). The
construction contract has been awarded to Bluebird
Investments Ltd. of Grand Falls-Windsor.
The Mary March Provincial Museum will
remain open to the public during construction of the
expansion. It is anticipated that the expanded facility
will be completed in spring of 2010. For more
information on the Mary March Provincial museum, visit:
www.therooms.ca/museum/mary_march_museum.asp
Photo:
An
architectural rendering depicts how the expanded Mary
March Provincial Museum in Grand Falls-Windsor will
appear following a 1,900 square foot expansion. The work
is scheduled to begin later this month, and be completed
in the spring of 2010.
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