7 July 2003 GOVERNMENT OF CANADA SUPPORTS RAILWAY COASTAL MUSEUM St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), today announced that the agency will provide $1,168,890 for the Railway Coastal Museum at the site of the old railway station in St. John's.
"We are proud to support a project which helps preserve an essential part of the history of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Byrne. "The Newfoundland Railway is, in many ways, synonymous with the industrial history of our province. The museum tells the story of the early development of the railway in the late 1800s and into the 20th century, with a focus on the lives and stories of the individuals who built and operated our railway and coastal boat service."
The Railway Coastal Museum is a project of the Railway Coastal Museum Foundation Inc., which was formed in 2001 as a not-for-profit organization to develop the concept of the museum. The planning and development of the museum concept began in 1997 as a project of the Johnson Family Foundation. Total costs of the museum project will be in the vicinity of $3,000,000.00.
Mr. Paul Johnson is the chair of the board of directors of the Railway Coastal Museum Foundation. Other representatives on the board of directors include Mr. Aiden Maloney (co-chair), Dr. Melvin Baker (historian at Memorial University), Mr. Fabian Kennedy (railway historian), Mr. William Barron (president CN Pensioners Association), and members Dr. Ronald Whelan, Ms. Heddy Peddle and Mr. Gordon Barnes (general manager).
The Railway-Coastal Museum provides a unique opportunity to present the history of the transportation industry in Newfoundland and Labrador through displays that will combine the history and interpretation of the railway and the coastal boat system. The development of Newfoundland and Labrador relied heavily on the coastal boat service, particularly the early "Alphabet Fleet" of eight vessels with names that included Argyle, Bruce, Clyde, Dundee, Ethie, Fyfe, Glencoe and Home. The construction of the trans-island railway in the late 1890s, also meant developers were able to access the interior of Newfoundland for the first time.
The original railway building was constructed in 1903 by the Newfoundland Railway and was used as its headquarters until Confederation in 1949, when the Newfoundland Railway became part of Canadian National (CN). The building remained the main train station for the province throughout the life of rail service, and was designated a National Historic Site in 1988 by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
The Johnson Family Foundation acquired the building in 2000 for the purpose of establishing the Railway Museum at the site and to promote it as Mile "0" of the Trans Canada Trail. The Johnson Family Foundation has also acquired the assets of the Newfoundland Transportation Historical Society, which had run into financial difficulty in the mid- 1990s.
These assets included five train cars, artifacts, photographs and documents. When the Johnson Family Foundation heard these assets were in jeopardy of being sold outside the province, the Foundation approached the receivers with a successful bid to keep them in Newfoundland and Labrador. The assets are now part of the exhibition at the new museum.
"The development of the Railway Coastal Museum not only provides a wonderful tourism venue for the province, it also revitalizes the railway building and ensures it is maintained," said Mr. Johnson. "The site is a National Historic Monument and the development of a museum there is an ideal opportunity to preserve this important part of our past."
ACOA funding for the project is provided under the non- commercial component of the Business Development Program.
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Olivia Letemplier Office of the Hon. Gerry Byrne Minister of State for ACOA-APECA (613) 941-7241 Doug Burgess Director, Public Affairs ACOA (709) 772-2935 Harry North Director Railway Coastal Museum Foundation Inc. (709) 737-1632
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7 July 2003 GOVERNMENT OF CANADA SUPPORTS RAILWAY COASTAL MUSEUM
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), today announced that the agency will provide $1,168,890 for the Railway Coastal Museum at the site of the old railway station in St. John's.
"We are proud to support a project which helps preserve an essential part of the history of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Byrne. "The Newfoundland Railway is, in many ways, synonymous with the industrial history of our province. The museum tells the story of the early development of the railway in the late 1800s and into the 20th century, with a focus on the lives and stories of the individuals who built and operated our railway and coastal boat service."
The Railway Coastal Museum is a project of the Railway Coastal Museum Foundation Inc., which was formed in 2001 as a not-for-profit organization to develop the concept of the museum. The planning and development of the museum concept began in 1997 as a project of the Johnson Family Foundation. Total costs of the museum project will be in the vicinity of $3,000,000.00.
Mr. Paul Johnson is the chair of the board of directors of the Railway Coastal Museum Foundation. Other representatives on the board of directors include Mr. Aiden Maloney (co-chair), Dr. Melvin Baker (historian at Memorial University), Mr. Fabian Kennedy (railway historian), Mr. William Barron (president CN Pensioners Association), and members Dr. Ronald Whelan, Ms. Heddy Peddle and Mr. Gordon Barnes (general manager).
The Railway-Coastal Museum provides a unique opportunity to present the history of the transportation industry in Newfoundland and Labrador through displays that will combine the history and interpretation of the railway and the coastal boat system. The development of Newfoundland and Labrador relied heavily on the coastal boat service, particularly the early "Alphabet Fleet" of eight vessels with names that included Argyle, Bruce, Clyde, Dundee, Ethie, Fyfe, Glencoe and Home. The construction of the trans-island railway in the late 1890s, also meant developers were able to access the interior of Newfoundland for the first time.
The original railway building was constructed in 1903 by the Newfoundland Railway and was used as its headquarters until Confederation in 1949, when the Newfoundland Railway became part of Canadian National (CN). The building remained the main train station for the province throughout the life of rail service, and was designated a National Historic Site in 1988 by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
The Johnson Family Foundation acquired the building in 2000 for the purpose of establishing the Railway Museum at the site and to promote it as Mile "0" of the Trans Canada Trail. The Johnson Family Foundation has also acquired the assets of the Newfoundland Transportation Historical Society, which had run into financial difficulty in the mid- 1990s.
These assets included five train cars, artifacts, photographs and documents. When the Johnson Family Foundation heard these assets were in jeopardy of being sold outside the province, the Foundation approached the receivers with a successful bid to keep them in Newfoundland and Labrador. The assets are now part of the exhibition at the new museum.
"The development of the Railway Coastal Museum not only provides a wonderful tourism venue for the province, it also revitalizes the railway building and ensures it is maintained," said Mr. Johnson. "The site is a National Historic Monument and the development of a museum there is an ideal opportunity to preserve this important part of our past."
ACOA funding for the project is provided under the non- commercial component of the Business Development Program.
-30-
Olivia Letemplier Office of the Hon. Gerry Byrne Minister of State for ACOA-APECA (613) 941-7241 Doug Burgess Director, Public Affairs ACOA (709) 772-2935 Harry North Director Railway Coastal Museum Foundation Inc. (709) 737-1632
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