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Tourism, Culture and Recreation
August 3, 2009

Province 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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Media contacts:

Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca
Jena Mitchell
Manager of Marketing
The Rooms Corporation
709-757-8070
jenamitchell@therooms.ca
 

Nancy Dawe
Constituency Assistant for
the Honourable Susan Sullivan
District of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans
709-729-1572, 1-888-610-4440
nancydawe@gov.nl.ca

 

Gary Hennessey
Economic Development Officer
Town of Grand Falls-Windsor
709-489-0483
ghennessey@grandfallswindsor.com 

 

2009 08 03                                                 12:05 p.m.


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