Enhanced Visitor Information Centre reopens and ready to welcome
visitors
GROS MORNE, NL,
May 17,
2024 /CNW/ - Parks Canada protects natural and
cultural treasures in Canada and
is proud to contribute to the country's world-class tourism
destinations. As cornerstones of Canada's tourism industry, Parks Canada
administered places are committed to providing visitors with high
quality and meaningful visitor experiences and supporting tourism
in communities across the country.
Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Member of Parliament for
Long Range Mountains, Minister of Rural Economic Development and
Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(ACOA), on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of
Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks
Canada, welcomed visitors back to Gros
Morne National Park's Visitor Information Centre. Following
completion of a $12 million
investment project by the Government of Canada, the centre now has a safe, accessible
and inclusive experience for visitors and community members alike.
The event was held as part of a series of federal government
announcements and community-based activities including the opening
of the Trails Tales and Tunes Annual Festival and the Norris Point small craft harbour
infrastructure.
The Gros Morne National Park Visitor Information Centre welcomes
tens of thousands of visitors annually from around the globe to
this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Visitor Information Centre is
once again open and ready to welcome visitors with an enhanced
sense of arrival to Gros Morne National
Park. With phase 1 of the renewal project now complete, the
fully upgraded building features a design that properly showcases
the site's viewscape and historical
interpretation. Accessibility and inclusivity standards have
been upgraded throughout the building, with design work that
includes green targets and federal sustainability
objectives.
Phase 2 has been underway in parallel, with a focus on the
design and installation of Visitor Experience Interpretive Design
element. New interpretive exhibits highlighting Gros Morne's
remarkable landscapes, wildlife and geology are scheduled to be
installed in fall 2024 and ready for the following operational
season in 2025, marking official completion of the project.
The Visitor Information Centre is one of many major pieces of
infrastructure in Gros Morne National
Park to be revitalized as part of the Government of
Canada's federal infrastructure
investments. Parks Canada has
improved all of Gros Morne National
Park's campgrounds, completed work to three of the park's
more iconic trails, revitalized several day use areas and upgraded
bridges and roadways throughout the park to ensure safe,
sustainable and inclusive facilities, while protecting the
environment and ensuring high-quality experiences for visitors.
These investments support the health of our natural heritage,
encourage sustainable tourism, create jobs in our local communities
and support the Government of Canada's efforts to combat climate change.
Quote
"Over fifty years ago, Gros Morne National Park was
established and has grown to welcome more than half the tourists
who come to explore the magic of Newfoundland and Labrador every year. We are now ready to
really welcome the world again with this LEED Silver facility. This
new visitors' centre is a gateway to the park and to the economy of
our local communities."
The Honourable Gudie Hutchings
Minister of Rural
Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA, and
Member of Parliament for Long Range Mountains
Quick Facts
- Gros Morne National Park
consists of 1,805 square kilometres of wilderness on Newfoundland's west coast. Its natural beauty
and a unique, geological showcase earned Gros Morne UNESCO World
Heritage status in 1987. It stretches inland from the Gulf of
St. Lawrence coastline through
lowlands where waterways meander towards the Long Range Mountains
and Tablelands.
- Parks Canada has consulted
with both Qalipu First Nation and Miawpukek First Nation on the
creation of the new interpretive designs for the Visitor
Information Centre. The Mi'kmaq language will also be featured in
interpretation on site.
- The Visitor Information Centre has been designed to meet or
exceed LEED Silver certification as outlined in the Parks Canada
Green Buildings Directive. This aligns the design and construction
with new government greening strategies by adopting new alternative
power sources, energy metering, and implementing carbon capture
construction technologies. The design also maximizes the building's
life cycle to minimize required maintenance.
- For improved visitor safety and conveniences, the site design
has realigned the circulation of parking, separated the bus
circulation with its own drop-off/pick-up location, and expanded
parking for RVs and trailers. New EV charging systems and parking
strategies will support the use of green transportation.
- Parks Canada is working with
partners in the Gros Morne National
Park region on the Gros Morne Tourism Regional
Implementation Project (GMTRIP), a project dedicated to building
cooperation among partners with the goal of strengthening the
regional tourism industry and achieving sustainable long-term
economic growth.
- Over $180 million in federal
funding has been invested in Parks Canada administered places
throughout Western Newfoundland
and Labrador including
Gros Morne National Park and
L'Anse aux Meadows, Port aux
Choix, Red Bay and Hopedale
Mission national historic sites.
Associated Links
- Gros Morne National Park
- Parks Canada - Home
SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)