August 23, 2006
Grand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador
The Grand Bank Heritage Society celebrates a special day
today with the launch of a project to develop a "Public
Garden" adjacent to the George C. Harris House community
museum. The new Government of Canada through the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) is supporting the
project through a contribution of $173,159.The federal funding announcement was made today by the
Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
and Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador, on
behalf of the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency. "The Grand Bank Heritage Society is to be commended for its
dedication to preserving the community's past," said
Minister Hearn. "ACOA is pleased to assist the heritage
society in its efforts to preserve and celebrate the
community's history and its close ties to the sea."The ACOA funding will go towards site development of the
public garden, and structural enhancements and electrical
upgrades for the community museum itself. The project will
support downtown revitalization and tourism in the town of
Grand Bank, with the public garden and adjacent community
museum becoming the focal point of the town.The ACOA funding for this project is being provided through
the Agency's Innovative Communities Fund (ICF), which
focuses on investments that lead to long-term employment
and economic capacity building in rural communities. As a separate project, the Grand Bank Heritage Society also
intends to locate a "Mariners Memorial" in the Public
Garden to pay tribute to the many families in Newfoundland
and Labrador who have lost loved ones at sea.
FOR BROADCAST USE:The Grand Bank Heritage Society is developing a community
public garden adjacent to the George C. Harris House
community museum in the town of Grand Bank. The Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency is providing over $170,000
towards the project, which will also include structural and
electrical upgrades to the museum building. The federal
funding was announced today by Loyola Hearn, federal
regional minister for Newfoundland and Labrador.When completed next year, the public garden and community
museum will become a downtown focal point for the town of
Grand Bank. As a separate project, the Grand Bank Heritage
Society also intends to locate a "Mariners Memorial" in the
Public Garden. The Memorial will pay tribute to the many
families in Newfoundland and Labrador who have lost loved
ones at sea.For more information, please contact:
Doug Burgess
Director, Public Affairs
ACOA
(709) 772-2935
Sadie Parsons
Business Manager
Grand Bank Heritage Society
(709) 832-1574
