Thanks to investments made under the Building Canada Fund and Build PEI, the Wood Islands and Area Development Corporation is pleased to announce the completion of upgrades to the Wood Islands Lighthouse Museum & Interpretive Centre.
“Our Government is committed to creating jobs and boosting the economy while making significant investments that help communities improve their infrastructure,” said the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and La Francophonie. “The enhancements to the Wood Islands Lighthouse Museum & Interpretive Centre will preserve its culture, help draw even more visitors to the historic property, and create positive economic spin-offs for this rural community.”
The upgrades included adding 1400 square feet to the basement to provide more storage, work, and display space for the museum. A new septic system, waterline and washroom facilities were added and will allow the lighthouse to increase capacity and support the ever-increasing number of visitors to the site. Landscaping is also being completed and includes adding memorial gardens, walkways, and display signage.
“The Wood Islands Lighthouse is the first building visible to people traveling to the Island as they cross the Northumberland Strait from Nova Scotia,” said Prince Edward Island’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Ron MacKinley. “But beyond that it is the centrepiece of one of the Island’s best day parks and an important museum and historical landmark. The province is pleased to have partnered in this renovation.”
The Government of Canada, through the Building Canada Fund, the Province of PEI, through its Build PEI initiative, and the Wood Islands and Area Development Corporation shared the cost of the project totalling $31,083.
“When the Wood Islands and Area Development Corporation became the owner and operator of the Wood Islands Lighthouse Museum in December of 2009, we were pleased to secure infrastructure funding from ACOA and the Province of PEI. We are happy to announce we have almost completed the project,” said Kris Rollins, Chair of the Wood Islands Lighthouse Committee. “The new plumbing and climate-controlled store room are major improvements that would not have been possible without this cost sharing initiative.”
-2-
For more information on the Building Canada Fund, visit http://www.buildingcanada.gc.ca or http://www.gov.pe.ca/go/infrastructure, and for more information on capital projects on Prince Edward, visit www.buildpei.ca