Government of Canada Celebrates Investments in Green Gables Heritage Place
News release
Ribbon-cutting marks the Grand Opening of the new Visitor Centre
August 29, 2019 Cavendish, PEI Parks Canada Agency
Canada’s national parks and historic sites belong to all Canadians. They represent the very best that Canada has to offer and tell the stories of who we are. Parks Canada’s places on Prince Edward Island are representative of the natural and cultural treasures that attract millions of visitors and support our local economies nationwide.
Today, Wayne Easter, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna, celebrated the official grand opening of the new Visitor Centre at Green Gables Heritage Place. The public event was held in collaboration with the Province of Prince Edward Island, the Resort Municipality, and Montgomery partners and stakeholders. As part of a Royal visit, Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan took part in a ribbon-cutting celebration held to mark the occasion. The Government of Canada has invested $11 million in funding for the redevelopment of Green Gables Heritage Place; an important investment in heritage and tourism.
Through the federal infrastructure investment program, several improvements have been made to Green Gables Heritage Place to refresh the visitor experience, address visitor flow patterns, improve accessibility and upgrade facilities to better meet the needs and interests of visitors to the site. The new Green Gables Visitor Centre and redevelopment of the entire Green Gables Heritage Place will ensure high-quality and meaningful experiences to Canadians and international visitors alike and enable them to connect with Canada’s cultural heritage through this literary landmark.
The new interpretive exhibits focus on author L.M. Montgomery, her fictional story, Anne of Green Gables, and the Cavendish landscape that inspired L.M. Montgomery and plays an important role in her books. Each part of the exhibit is designed to appeal to a certain audience so that more Canadians, including youth and newcomers, can experience this iconic site that served as inspiration for L.M Montgomery’s literary works that brought the red-headed heroine, “Anne Shirley,” to life.
Green Gables Heritage Place is a treasure that belongs to all Canadians. The Government of Canada is proudly investing in this place that commemorates the life and work of L.M. Montgomery, a person of National Historic Significance, and celebrates the power of the imagination with Montgomery’s beloved Anne.
Investments in the preservation and restoration of our national historic sites will protect Canada’s rich heritage for future generations and enable Canadians to connect with history.
Quotes
“The Government of Canada’s historic investment in Green Gables Heritage Place will help preserve this literary landscape for future generations and enable Canadians to connect with the significant people, places, and events that contributed to our country’s rich and diverse heritage. The renewal of the new Green Gables Visitor Centre will encourage people from around the world to visit the site, inspiring them to better know and love renowned Canadian author L. M. Montgomery and her literary works, while supporting local economies and contributing to important growth in the tourism sector. I encourage Islanders and visitors from afar to start planning their next visit to Green Gables to experience this important site first hand.”
The Honourable Wayne Easter,
Member of Parliament for Malpeque
Quick facts
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Green Gables Heritage Place is part of L. M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site. Parks Canada is the proud steward of Green Gables Heritage Place: an internationally renowned destination, which forms an important cornerstone of Prince Edward Island’s tourism industry, attracting nearly 200,000 visitors in 2018.
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The federal government is investing $3 billion over five years in Parks Canada’s places to support infrastructure work to heritage, visitor, waterway, and highway assets located within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas across Canada.
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Since 2016, the federal government has provided an additional $555 million to Parks Canada for the continued management of Canada`s natural treasures, and through Budget 2019 proposes $368 million in funding for capital projects, to collectively ensure the quality and reliability of the Agency’s infrastructure.
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The Government of Canada is pleased to continue to offer free admission to all Parks Canada’s places for youth aged 17 and under. By encouraging young people to discover nature and connect with history, we can help to inspire the next generation of stewards for these protected places. In celebration of diversity, Parks Canada continues to offer free admission to new Canadian citizens for one year through the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s Canoo mobile application.
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Contacts
Sabrina Kim
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
819-938-3813
sabrina.kim@canada.ca
Media Relation
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.medias-media.pc@canada.ca
Kara Grant
Communications Officer
PEI Field Unit
Parks Canada
Kara.grant@canada.ca