Upper Clements Parks Given Boost

The parks at Upper Clements, Annapolis Co., will be making a bigger splash than ever before. Over the next three years, residents and visitors to the Annapolis Basin area can enjoy important improvements to the community-operated Upper Clements Park and Upper Clements Wildlife Park. The parks will feature a new water slide and various upgrades.

The enhancements are designed to help build the Annapolis Royal destination area and capitalize on the impressive increase in visitors to the park last year. Since the community assumed operation through the Hanse Society in 1997, park attendance has grown to 84,000 from 71,000 the previous year. Attendance at the wildlife park doubled to 40,000.

Total investment in the project is $1.37 million. Funding of $986,000 will be through the Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification. Human Resources Development Canada will contribute $275,449, and the Municipality of Annapolis County, $109,558. In addition to creating 24 short-term construction jobs, the project will also result in 19 new permanent seasonal jobs by the year 2000.

Manning MacDonald, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism Minister, said the improvements to the parks will result in much more than job creation alone.

"Last year, Upper Clements took on a new lease of life and it's fast becoming an important economic driver for the region," he said. "These improvements will attract more visitors, which is great news for all businesses in the area."

"This project is an excellent example of Nova Scotia communities working together to strengthen the local economy, as well as to generate more tourist dollars," said Senator Al Graham, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister responsible for Nova Scotia, on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

Patrick McWade, chairman of the board of the Hanse Society, said the improvements are good for the future of the parks, employees, and the Annapolis Valley.

"All of them will help to ensure the long-term viability of Upper Clements, and increase its profile as a tourist attraction. We're all very excited," he said.

The Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification is managed by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Nova Scotia Department of Economic Development and Tourism.