The Garden of the Gulf Museum and the Point Prim Lighthouse are the two newest historic buildings to be featured on Prince Edward Island Heritage Posters. The poster designs were unveiled Saturday afternoon during the launch of the Garden of the Gulf Museum’s new book Reflections: Images and Stories of Three Rivers.
Alan McIsaac, MLA for Vernon River-Stratford, attended the event at the Active Communities Centre in Montague on behalf of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour Minister Carolyn Bertram and unveiled the new posters.
Mr. McIsaac thanked the Board of Directors of the Museum for incorporating the poster launch into the book launch celebrations. “These posters promote the national Historic Places Initiative and encourage us to learn about, value, enjoy and conserve historic places,” he said.
The 2008 posters are prints of watercolour paintings by Victoria artist Henry Dunsmore.
Mr. McIsaac took the opportunity during the event to announce that the Heritage Posters will have a new look in coming years. “As part of Minister Bertram’s commitment to engaging youth in the heritage of the province, the department will be inviting young Islanders to participate in a design contest to create new heritage posters for 2009,” he said. “You will be hearing more about this exciting new initiative in the fall.”
Copies of the posters are available through Island Information Service, 1st floor Jones Building, Kent Street, (902) 368-4000.
BACKGROUNDER:
The Historic Places Initiative is a collaboration involving all levels of government – local, provincial, territorial and federal. Through the initiative, programs such as the Canadian Register of Historic Places, provide tools and information to enable Canadians to take action and conserve the historic places that they value. For more information about heritage initiatives in Prince Edward Island: www.peihistoricplaces.ca
The Point Prim Lighthouse was registered in 2002 as a heritage property under the Heritage Places Protection Act and was declared a Classified Federal Heritage Building in 1992 by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO).
The Garden of the Gulf Museum is a registered heritage place, with heritage place designation under the Heritage Places Protection Act pending. The year 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of the museum. The building, which was constructed May 1888, is 120 years old.