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Jerry Dick facilitating the heritage
workshops
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The tourism sector
experiencing the greatest growth across Canada is heritage and
culture. And the Coast of Bays is rich in both. The resettled
communities, our traditions, our music and way of living all offer
opportunities to capitalize on this market. At first, many will say
that an old building is an eyesore. On second glance and a bit of
work, the building divulges its stories and colorful history to reveal
its part in the |
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growth of the area where it is located.
To ensure that our communities have the capacity to
develop this resource, the Coast of Bays Corporation, in partnership
with the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development,
sponsored two workshops on Planning for Heritage Tourism and Accessing
Resources for Heritage Initiatives. The workshops were delivered
by Jerry Dick, Executive Director of the Association of Heritage
Industries of Newfoundland and Labrador. Participants in the
workshops came from communities all over the Coast of Bays and learned
how to take advantage of the opportunities for heritage development in
the region. This translates into jobs during development,
increased visitor traffic resulting in more economic activity with
long term jobs and community pride being the benefits.
A resettled community such as Grole, for example,
offers a unique opportunity to tell the story of outport people. With
very little investment, a bit of research and a partnership with the
ex-residents of Grole, the stories of this community can be reborn to
form the basis of a walking tour. The pillars upon which homes,
churches, schools and stores once stood offer an interesting insight
into the way things were in this beautiful community. Its little
cemetery, too, is a page of this community’s history. This is but
one example and the Coast of Bays Corporation is willing to work with
any group in the region to bring history back to life.
We have the resources, we have the people - initiative
is the glue to bring it all together. And we are here to assist
you. Contact us now to discuss your ideas.
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