Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
February 7, 2007
Honouring Our Soldiers and Promoting
Adventure Tourism in Eastern Newfoundland
Trinity Historical Society is moving
ahead with plans to create a virtual Internet site to commemorate the
Newfoundland Regiment’s role at the 1916 Battle of the Somme at Beaumont
Hamel. The project is being assisted with $18,756 from the Department of
Innovation, Trade and Rural Development’s Regional/Sectoral
Diversification Fund (RSDF). The department is also providing $6,690
from its Business and Market Development Program (BMDP) to Random
Discoveries of Clarenville to promote its new adventure tourism
business.
“Culture and adventure tourism initiatives are significant parts of
growing our regional economies,” said the Honourable Trevor Taylor,
Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development and Minister
responsible for the Rural Secretariat. “These projects will complement
other cultural initiatives and tourism-based endeavours in the area,
expand the region’s infrastructure and offer new ways of promoting our
distinct culture and attracting additional visitors to eastern
Newfoundland.”
Trinity Historical Society’s Battle of the Somme project consists of
securing professional services to gather personal stories and pictures
about those who participated in the battle, and present the information
in a virtual exhibit framework that will be accessible worldwide through
the Internet. The Web site will also be linked to the Rising Tide
Theatre’s production of Kevin Majors’ play, “No Mans Land,” which is
based on the battle. The play is an annual presentation of the theatre
company’s season in Trinity and is scheduled to do a national tour in
2007. The project provides an excellent opportunity to gather valuable
information on details surrounding this historic event, and make it
accessible to those interested in this topic. The RSDF funding is
leveraging $50,000 from Veteran Affairs for the project. The society
expects it will take approximately 30 weeks before the project is
completed.
“The Trinity Historical Society is very pleased to have received funding
from the Regional/Sectoral Diversification Program to assist towards the
development of a virtual exhibit concerning the Battle of the Somme,”
said Jim Miller, project coordinator. “To mark the 90th anniversary of
this battle, the society is creating an interactive virtual exhibit
which will highlight those who lost their lives and the impact on the
families left behind. We are very grateful to the Department of
Innovation, Trade and Rural Development for offering this program to
not-for-profit organizations such as ourselves to enable such projects
to proceed.”
“This is a fantastic opportunity to use technology to tell an important
Newfoundland and Labrador story,” said the Honourable Tom Hedderson,
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. “This project will combine
history, theatre, art and culture to chronicle the events of 1916 at the
Battle of the Somme in Beaumont Hamel – a defining event in our
province’s history.”
Random Discoveries is developing a marketing strategy to promote its
adventure tourism vacation packages in Clarenville and the surrounding
areas. The company will link accommodation and tour packages to extend
the tourism period from the summer season to a year-round operation. The
company’s tour packages have an adventure-based theme and include hiking
adventures, berry picking, kayaking and boat tours through Random Sound,
as well as winter-based snowmobiling and skiing excursions. The
company’s vision is to enhance tourism activities in the area and
provide visitors with more opportunities to experience eastern
Newfoundland’s culture and environment. The funding is being used to
develop highway signage, a Web page, brochures and other printed
promotional material.
The Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund is a $5 million fund of the
Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development and a component of
the province’s Comprehensive Regional Diversification Strategy. The fund
provides non-repayable contributions to economic development agencies
for initiatives that address regional and sectoral development and
diversification.
The Business and Market Development Program is designed to provide new
entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses with funding to help them
acquire the necessary expertise to pursue new business ideas and new
markets for their products or services. The $1 million program is
intended to support new growth opportunities in the economy, such as
value-added manufacturing activities and export-oriented opportunities.
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Lynn Evans
Director of Communications
Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
709-729-4570, 690-6290
lynnevans@gov.nl.ca
2007 02 07
10:05 a.m.
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