Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove to Increase Parking Capacity as Tourism Visitation Rises

  • Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

August 22, 2019

The Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove  is seeing phenomenal growth at its tourism attractions and operations. To help ensure visitors have a safe, enjoyable and more accessible experience, the town is creating additional parking and installing new signage. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is contributing $21,894 towards the project while the Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) , is providing a non-repayable contribution of $37,390.

Through this support, an area on Skinner’s Hill will be excavated, levelled and fenced to accommodate approximately 24 vehicles, with new signage to direct visitors to the parking facilities.

The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, along with the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA, made the announcement today.

The tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador generates over $1.1 billion in visitor spending each year, and is responsible for over 20,000 jobs, representing 2,600 businesses. As committed in The Way Forward, the Provincial Government is aiming to double resident and non-resident visitor spending to $1.6 billion by 2020. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.

Quotes
“Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove welcomes many visitors to the area annually and the town has made it a priority to enhance the visitor experience, which is also a goal of our Tourism Product Development Plan. These new parking spaces and signage will contribute to small business sustainability and encourage business growth and long term viability in the community.”
Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

“Our government is committed to helping communities across Canada grow their tourism sectors so they can create good-paying jobs for the middle class. Many communities, such as Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, have proven that they can diversify and transform their economies through tourism. For that to happen, we need to strengthen some basic tourism building blocks such as parking and signage to help ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience when they visit.”
Honourable Mélanie Joly
Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie

“It is absolutely no surprise that the quaint and scenic Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove is experiencing such a tourism boom. Just a short drive from St. John’s, it combines the history and intrigue of an historic Newfoundland fishing village with the quality and variety of modern, world-class tourism attractions. Whether you’re looking for a thrill-seeking adventure, a great meal or a casual stroll, you’ll find something to love. And if you’re lucky, you may catch sight of hometown hero Alan Doyle. I’m delighted that our government is helping the Town to address its parking challenges and to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of this beautiful community.”
Honourable Seamus O’Regan
Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for St. John’s-South-Mount Pearl

“Over the past number of years Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove has become a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. Unfortunately, due to the high hills that surround our town and the narrowness of our roadways, there are very few places where one can park automobiles without causing congestion. Residents of the town have expressed concerns about access for emergency vehicles, if an emergency should occur. Today with financial assistance from ACOA and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, the Town of Petty Harbour/Maddox Cove is excited to move forward with the development of a parking area within our community that will hopefully accommodate up to approximately 24 vehicles, thereby relieving some of the congestion on our roadways.”
Samuel Lee
Mayor, Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove

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Learn more
Tourism Product Development Plan

Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove

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Media contacts
Tansy Mundon
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
709-729-4570, 693-1865
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca

Paul McGrath
ACOA NL
709-772-2984
paul.mcgrath@canada.ca

Stephanie Stack
Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove
709-368-4843
sstack@phmc.nf.net

2019 08 22 2:10 pm