Provincial Historic Sites to Open May 19

Beginning tomorrow (Saturday, May 19) Newfoundland and Labrador’s Provincial Historic Sites will be open for the 2012 season. The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, marked the occasion with a tour of the Beothuk Interpretation Centre in Boyd’s Cove.

“This season, exciting events are happening at all of our Provincial Historic Sites,” said Minister Dalley. “You can Follow Footprints at the Beothuk Interpretation Centre, see Trinity After Dark, Rant and Roar at the Big Store in Bonavista, and Get Connected in Heart’s Content. Or take part in Encounters with History and meet interesting characters through new interactive performances at Bonavista, Cupids and Commissariat House. Our Provincial Historic Sites have something for everyone to enjoy. I invite residents and visitors alike to explore and discover some of our incredible history.”

Provincial Historic Sites include the Commissariat House and the Newman Wine Vaults in St. John’s, as well as the Colonial Building (closed for renovations); the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse and Mockbeggar Plantation in Bonavista; Visitor Centre, Hiscock House and the Mercantile Premises in Trinity; the Heart’s Content Cable Station; the Beothuk Interpretation Centre in Boyd’s Cove; the Cupids Cove Plantation; and, Point Amour Lighthouse in Labrador.

Residents and visitors are invited to check out the Provincial Historic Sites demonstrations series in July and August including an opportunity to dig up the past at Cupids Cove Plantation, learn about using birch bark at the Beothuk Interpretation Centre, and practise navigation skills at the Newman Wine Vaults. Also, there is an opportunity to discover downtown St. John’s from Commissariat House with a new smart phone scavenger hunt.

For more information on these and other great programs visit www.seethesites.ca or www.facebook.com/ProvincialHistoricSites.NL

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Photo #1:The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and Wade Verge MHA for Lewisporte celebrate the opening of the Province’s Historic Sites for the 2012 season at Boyd’s Cove Beothuk Interpretation Centre. They are joined by Leah Dawn Hurley, a grade one student from Greenwood Academy in Campbellton.

Photo #2:Desmond Canning doing traditional Inuit drumming at the Provincial Historic Sites’ 2012 season opening held at Boyd’s Cove Beothuk Interpretation Centre.

Photo #3:The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, Wade Verge MHA for Lewisporte, and grade one students from Greenwood Academy in Campbellton celebrate the 2012 season opening of the Provincial Historic Sites at Boyd’s Cove Beothuk Interpretation Centre.

Photo #4:The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation talks with grade one students from Greenwood Academy in Campbellton at Boyd’s Cove Beothuk Interpretation Centre during the opening of the Provincial Historic Sites’ 2012 season.

Photo #5:The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation chats with Cody Quinlan Freake and Brady Burt, grade one students from Greenwood Academy in Campbellton, during the opening of the Provincial Historic Sites’ 2012 season at Boyd’s Cove Beothuk Interpretation Centre.

Media contact:
Diana Quinton
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 631-8155
dianaquinton@gov.nl.ca

2012 05 18                               11:10 a.m.