2016 Parks Canada Infrastructure Upgrades in Western Newfoundland : Grand total investment*: $45.4M
Backgrounder
GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK
Gros Morne National Park protects a portion of the Newfoundland Highlands and St. Lawrence Lowlands. It is an extraordinary wilderness environment. With its towering cliffs, dramatic fjord valleys, glacial lakes, coastal bogs and dunes and highland plateaus, Gros Morne’s landscapes rank among the most spectacular and diverse in Canada.
Gros Morne is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. In addition to its outstanding natural beauty, its glacier-scoured highlands and spectacular fjords reveal many significant geological features. The rocks here collectively present an illustration of the process of continental drift along the eastern coast of North America. They contribute greatly to the body of knowledge and understanding of plate tectonics and to the geological evolution of ancient mountain belts.
Project List 2016:
Project name: Roads and Bridges Improvements
Estimated total: $33.1 M
Project description: The Bakers Brook Bridge and the Deer Arm Bridge will be replaced. Also, approximately 31 kms of Hwy 430 will be repaired and paved and 86 culverts will be replaced from the Lobster Cove Head turnoff to the northern boundary of the park.
Project name: Green Point Campground Improvements
Estimated total: $1.2 M
Project description: The campground improvements include replacing picnic tables and stoves at all sites and adding shower services and flush toilets. Opportunities to diversify the camping offer through the introduction of alternate accommodations will also be explored.
Project name: Discovery Centre Building Improvements
Estimated total: $866 K
Project description: The scope of work includes repairs on mechanical systems, including the sprinkler system, and addressing necessary repairs to the building, including replacement of windows and siding.
Project name: Western Brook Pond Boat Tour Facility Improvements
Estimated total: $3.1 M
Project description: This project will expand the parking lot and washrooms at the Western Brook Pond trail access. It will also see necessary re-construction and widening of the trail, and include repairs to the boat wharf.
L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
This archaeological site at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula contains the excavated remains of an 11th century Viking settlement that once consisted of a number of timber-framed turf buildings (houses, workshops, etc.). They are identical with those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland of the same period. As such, the site is unique evidence of the earliest known European presence on the American continent. The archaeological remains of their small encampment that was built against a stunning backdrop of rugged cliffs, bog, and coastline, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The site represents a unique milestone in the history of human migration and discovery.
Project List 2016:
Project name: Facility Operations Improvements
Estimated total: $841 K
Project description: Improvements are being made to the site’s walking trail that will include enhancing accessibility. Upgrades to the mechanical systems of the Visitor Centre will also be completed.
PORT AU CHOIX NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
At Port au Choix National Historic Site, the crossroads of 6000 years of human history intersect. The sea’s bounty drew Maritime Archaic Indian, Dorset and Groswater Paleoeskimo, and “Recent Indians” here long before Europeans arrived. For example, seals on passing ice flows were hunted by the Dorset and used for food, shelter and clothing. Located amid a rugged coastline of unique limestone barrens, forests, and bays, Port au Choix National Historic Site is one of North America’s most fascinating archaeological finds, and one of Canada’s most important Indigenous heritage sites.
Project List 2016:
Project name: Visitor Reception Centre Improvements
Estimated total: $358K
Project description: The exterior of the site’s Visitor Reception Centre will be completely renewed through the replacement of its siding, windows, facia, and roofing.
Previously announced projects that are receiving additional funding
More information on these and other projects announced in 2015
can be found in this Backgrounder
Project name: South East Brook Bridge Repairs & Replacement
Announced in 2015: $615 K
Additional estimated funding: $4.7 M
Total estimated cost: $5.3 M
Project description: This project initially aimed to repair the South East Brook Bridge in Gros Morne National Park, however it has been determined that the bridge has reached the end of its lifespan and should be replaced instead. The additional funding is to cover the cost of a new bridge.
Project name: Highway 430 (Segment “C”) - Improvements
Announced in 2015: $6.7 M
Additional estimated funding: $1.3 M
Total estimated cost: $7.9 M
Project description: This project is for the repairing and repaving of 14 kilometres of deteriorated highway along route 430 from Wiltondale towards Rocky Harbour in Gros Morne National Park.
* Please note that the sum of individual project values may not equal the grand total indicated at the top of this document due to standard rounding.
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Hon. Catherine McKenna Parks Canada Information and Communications