Canadian Government Invests in the Upper Canada Village Discovery Centre

MORRISBURG, Ontario, August 18, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Guy Lauzon, Member of Parliament (Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry), today congratulated Upper Canada Village on the grand opening of the Upper Canada Village Discovery Centre.

Upper Canada Village, operated by the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, is a living pioneer village adjoining Crysler's Farm Battlefield National Historic Site. The new Upper Canada Discovery Centre sits just outside Upper Canada Village and will serve as a year-round multipurpose exhibition space for interactive historical exhibitions, program activities, festivals, and events. The new facility will provide visitors with an orientation to the site and its historical significance.

"Our Government is proud to invest in major infrastructure projects like the new Upper Canada Village Discovery Centre," said Minister Moore. "In doing so, we are stimulating the local economy and enhancing heritage facilities that enrich our knowledge and appreciation of our country's history and our shared Canadian identity."

"It is a great pleasure to be here today to see the tremendous results of our Government's investment in this important local heritage site," said Mr. Lauzon. "Residents and visitors to Morrisburg will benefit from this impressive addition to Upper Canada Village, which will inspire and educate all who come to visit the Centre."

"The St. Lawrence Parks Commission appreciates the support from the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund for the exhibits in the Upper Canada Village Discovery Centre," said Darren Dalgleish, General Manager/CEO for the St. Lawrence Parks Commission. "This project has been a true collaboration with both the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture providing funding and numerous heritage and community partners who have participated in this project."

As part of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada provided $1,578,386 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year in support of the Centre through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program seeks to improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and arts presentation or exhibition. It is also designed to increase access for Canadians to performing, visual, and media arts, and to museum collections and heritage displays.