Sunrise Trail Projects Benefit Pictou Co.

Three new projects in Pictou County will soon be encouraging tourists to spend more time in rural communities along the Sunrise Trail. These community led initiatives include interpretative displays at a mining memorial park and the Museum of Industry, murals at the DeCoste Entertainment Centre, and a reproduction of the Ship Hector.

These projects build on the many tourism strengths of the Sunrise Trail ranging from its scenic coastal shoreline to its diverse mix of culture and heritage. They are also part of the Sunrise Trail Enhancement Project, which is funded through the Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification. The agreement is managed by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Nova Scotia Economic Development.

The enhancement project is designed to develop and enhance community-based tourism attractions with cultural, heritage and nature exploration themes. An interpretive guide has also been developed to promote these attractions.

"The culture, heritage and natural beauty of our communities are among Nova Scotia's greatest strengths for attracting visitors to the province," said Gordon Balser, Economic Development Minister. "Projects along the Sunrise Trail are making the most of these strengths by encouraging visitors to spend time and tourism dollars in smaller communities rather than just driving past them on the trail."

In addition to community support, these projects are receiving a total of $98,598 in provincial and federal funds to increase tourism in their communities.

"The development of these individual projects will be an asset for Pictou County and the entire Sunrise Trail," said Bernie Boudreau, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister responsible for Nova Scotia, on behalf of George Baker, Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. "These projects will lead to greater community pride and have a positive impact on the local economy."

Among Nova Scotia's most important heritage developments of the past decade, a full-size replica of the Ship Hector has been carefully planned as a celebration of one of the province's most significant historical events. As part of the Hector Heritage Quay project, the town of Pictou received $39,332 under the enhancement project towards the reproduction of this ship, which brought the first Scottish settlers to Nova Scotia. The ship will tower above the Pictou waterfront as a dockside attraction and interpretation centre. The community will also contribute $333,016 and funding will be received through the Millennium Fund.

The DeCoste Entertainment Centre is the cornerstone for waterfront development in the town of Pictou as it attracts visitors and encourages business development. The centre's society received $12,600 under the enhancement project to develop a series of murals and an interpretive panel on the centre depicting the cultural history of the town and its people from the arrival of the Hector settlers in 1773. The project, which was completed this past summer, also highlights the Jitney Trail, a section of the Trans Canada Trail, which begins at the centre. The community is contributing $5,300 and $1,000 is being provided through corporate sponsorship.

Located on the eight-acre site of Nova Scotia's earliest coal mines, the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry collects, preserves and interprets the province's industrial heritage. As a significant tourist attraction, the museum received $26,666 under the enhancement project to develop an exterior plaza interpreting the coal mining history associated with the site and Pictou County. This plaza will also include a plaque recently unveiled at the museum by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board commemorating the national significance of Nova Scotia's coal mining industry. The interpretive plaza will encourage visitors to spend more time at the museum and in the community. It will also provide an added attraction to the Samson Walking Trail, which ends at the museum site.

Their Light Shall Always Shine Memorial Park was established in May 1993 to honour the 26 men who died in the Westray mine. In response to visitor demand, the park society received $20,000 under the enhancement project to build a replica of the mine portal. It will also develop several interpretive panels on Pictou County's mining heritage, the Westray mine development and impacts of its disaster, as well as information on other relevant sites in the area. The community is contributing $35,000 and the United Steelworkers of America is providing $5,000.

"The Sunrise Trail Enhancement Project augments several tourism anchors in Pictou County, bringing them to a new level as we enter the new millennium," said Kimberly Dickson, executive director of the Pictou County Tourist Association. "Cultural tourism is one of Nova Scotia's strongest products, and it's exciting that Pictou County is expanding an already impressive cultural base."

The Sunrise Trail, one of Nova Scotia's 10 scenic travelways, follows the coastline of the Northumberland Shore from Amherst to the Canso Causeway. The landscape of this 450-kilometre coastal route is marked by pristine beaches, tranquil bays, and spectacular countryside.

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