St. Peters Area Development Corporation has renovated the historic Quigley Memorial Hall. The newly restored building will highlight the community's history through a series of interpretive panels, as well as house the County Courthouse Theatre, a 90-seat venue for theatrical productions, entertainment by local storytellers and musical performances. The project has also involved the creation of Bayside Landing, a system of trails, a boardwalk and a pedestrian bridge that has created a walking link between the visitor information centre and the Dr. Roddy Centre.

"This new development will be an important and unique attraction for eastern Prince Edward Island and one that incorporates a number of elements including the culture, history, and the scenic natural beauty of the St. Peter's Bay area. This new park and Quigley Memorial Hall are more great reasons for visitors to come to this community," said Mr. MacAulay on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister for Human Resources Development Canada.

"This community has worked hard to build on the attraction already offered by the national park," said Mr. MacAdam, speaking on behalf of the Development and Technology Minister, Mike Currie. "They have done an outstanding job at developing a project that takes advantage of the natural beauty of the area and the rich history in and around The Bay. I am sure this project is going to be tremendously successful, both in terms of community development and community spirit."

The Community of St. Peters has experienced a significant influx of visitors in recent years as new inns, motels, and restaurants have been constructed, and developments in near-by areas have been implemented, particularly Greenwich National Park and the Links at Crowbush Cove. The National Park alone can draw up to 100,000 visitors annually to this part of PEI, while other attractions in nearby communities, including Crowbush, continue to draw increasing numbers of tourists.

"This opening brings to a conclusion the first phase of this project," said Jim MacAulay, President of the St. Peters Area Development Corporation. "Many meetings and numerous decisions had to occur over the past five years to bring this phase to fruition. Hopefully this will enhance our area even more and make this an environment which will attract and retain visitors for a period of time."

ACOA has provided a contribution of $432,400 through the Strategic Communities Investment Fund (SCIF) to the project. The Canada/P.E.I. Labour Market Development Agreement, co-managed by HRDC and the provincial Department of Development and Technology, is contributing up to $129,602 in wages and overhead costs. The province's Community Development Fund has contributed $50,000 to the project.

SCIF provides $135 million over five years to help communities in Atlantic Canada create an environment that encourages the development of strategic sectors such as tourism. The fund is a component of the $700 million Atlantic Investment Partnership (AIP), a five-year Government of Canada initiative designed to help Atlantic Canadians compete in the global, knowledge-based economy. ACOA administers the fund.