Development and Technology Minister Mike Currie today announced support for the first phase of a new tourism initiative in West Point. The project has been put together by the West Point Development Corporation. It will tie together the West Point Lighthouse, Cedar Dunes Provincial Park and West Point Harbour.
A "Harbourside Centre" will be located next to the harbour itself. It will offer facilities for a day adventure centre, a multi-purpose room, food preparation area, office space and a retail/camper store. The Corporation will offer these facilities to private sector entrepreneurs. The office space will be used to house the harbour authority and an eco-tourism co-ordinator.
The Development Corporation also plans to upgrade the marina area to accommodate tourists who would visit the area by boat. They will upgrade the access road from the harbour to the park and the lighthouse. Improvements will be also be made to the provincial park to make it more attractive for overnight visitors.
The focus of the entire project will be to show off the area's natural beauty and to take advantage of the growing interest in eco-tourism.
"The people in the West Point area have a great product to offer tourists with the harbour, the park and the lighthouse. They've worked hard to pull together what I think will be a really outstanding project and we're happy to be able to support them," said Mike Currie, Minister of Development and Technology.
Support from the provincial government will come initially from the Department of Development and Technology and the Community Development Bureau.
The first phase of the project will begin this winter. The entire project will take three years to complete.