Latest news with #historicsite
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Ministers Island is latest tourist site planning to hand keys back to province
Ministers Island is the only tourist attraction in New Brunswick where visitors can drive across the ocean floor, but the tides of change threaten to overtake the historic site in Saint Andrews. The board of the charity that runs Ministers Island says it is unable to keep the popular attraction going with the $100,000 it receives for from the province for its operations budget. "We've tried everything and we've tried everything for 17 years," said John Kershaw, chair of the board of the Van Horne Estate on Ministers Island. "We've decided as a board that unless we get additional investment from the province, we are going to, in August, give six months' notice that we will not operate next year." Ministers Island, accessible only at low tide, was once owned by Sir William Van Horne, who was famous for getting the Canadian Pacific Railway built. With an admission ticket, visitors get to explore the island Van Horne once called his summer home. Popular attractions include the mansion, bathhouse, livestock barn, windmill and walking trails that cross the island from shore to shore. It is one of many historic attractions in Saint Andrews. Kershaw argues that similar historic sites in the province, including Kings Landing, receive significantly more provincial funding even though they attract comparable numbers of visitors. According to its annual report, Kings Landing gets $3.7 million as a provincial operating grant on top of other non-recurring grants from the province. "We just feel that that level of difference is just not fair," Kershaw said. These historic sites are both owned by the province and operated by external boards. Kings landing saw 34,000 visitors last year and Ministers Island saw 24,000. Does 10,000 more visitors justify millions more in funding? The New Brunswick government bought Ministers Island in 1977, and the island was declared a national historic site about 20 years later. Ever since the Van Horne Estate on Ministers Island was set up this century, every chair of the board "has been calling on the government to enhance our level of funding," Kershaw said. The board functions as a custodian for the island, overseeing operations for the province. Operational funding to the island increased to $130,000 from $33,000 in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, then moved down to $100,000 in 2020-2021, where it has stayed each year since. Funding for the island also comes from various donations and non-recurring grants. WATCH | 'We're not fiscally sustainable' Uncertain future for Ministers Island 35 minutes ago The board is only able to hire one full-time paid employee to oversee operations on the island. The rest of the work is stretched among volunteer board members and seasonal employees. Kershaw said this is not enough help to sustain the island. The Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture did not allow CBC News to interview Tourism Minister Isabelle Theriault and sent a statement instead. Despite the board's concerns, the statement said, the department is "committed to ensuring the continued conservation and public enjoyment of Ministers Island." "We renewed the funding that had been provided in previous years that Ministers Island received in the past," Premier Susan Holt said at a recent news when asked about the site's predicament. "At this point in time, the government doesn't have additional money to put more money into those heritage sites." Holt said that "the cost to operate is going up and that's leaving them with shortfalls. About $900,000 was cut from the provincial tourism budget in March. Not the first historical site to speak out The island's board is not the first to speak out about a lack of funding in New Brunswick. MacDonald Farm in Miramichi had to close because it didn't have the money to stay open. This historical site is also owned by the government but run by the Highland Society of New Brunswick at Miramichi. "We are a completely volunteer committee that operates this site and we just felt that having to fight to keep this site open is not something that we have the energy to do anymore," said society president Dawn Lamkey MacDonald. Impact on Saint Andrews tourism The lack of funding isn't just a worry for the Ministers Island board but also for the Explore Saint Andrews, the town's tourism marketing board. "Heritage and tourism is a big part of what draws people to Saint Andrews," said Explore Saint Andrews board member James Geneau. "I would argue that Minister's Island is an attraction that has lots of opportunity with a huge audience." Ganeau said that closing the island to tourists would have a significant impact on tourism that Saint Andrew's economy desperately depends on. "Losing that is going to be significant in terms of the overall offering that Saint Andrews can provide to tourists," Geneau said. "It's part of a broader offering which makes the area a destination for not just a night, but multiple days." Saint Andrews tourism works as a collective cluster with neighbouring sites such as the Huntsman Marine Science Center, Algonquin Golf Course, and the Blockhouse supporting each other, drawing visitors to stay in town for longer.
CBC
12-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Louisbourg's restoration gets a helping hand from students
Students are working with Parks Canada to spruce up the Fortress of Louisbourg. They're using their skills to help restore the national historic site. Matthew Moore has the story.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cambridgeshire Napoleonic prisoner of war camp to open to public
People will soon be able to visit what is believed to be the world's first purpose-built prisoner of war camp dating from the Napoleonic Wars between Britain and Norman Cross Camp just south of Peterborough housed about 7,000 French prisoners and inspired the world's largest collection of prisoner historic site, which dates back to 1796, was bought by the Peterborough-based Nene Park Trust who want to introduce visitors to the site in September. Historian Paul Chamberlain, said it could provide a better understanding of a "lost town" that had a significant impact on the region more than 200 years ago. The Norman Cross Camp operated from 1797 to 1814 and functioned as a self-contained town with barracks, offices, a hospital, school, market place and was far from the sea, making it difficult for escapees to return to France, and was away from potential invasion areas, in a fertile part of the History: Napoleon, Nelson and the French ThreatIt closed in August 1814 and two years later the buildings were demolished, and the site sold. The land was used for arable crops and grazing and is primarily under pasture, but the site still contains the earthworks and buried remains of the camp. Napoleonic era author and historian, Mr Chamberlain, said: "Norman Cross Prison Depot is unique in that it is an historic site that continues to tell its story, involving communities, both local and national. "This acquisition will enable more of the story to be told for future generations and provide us with a better understanding of a lost town that had a significant impact on the region over 200 years ago." About 1,770 former combatants are buried at the site, which just off the A1(M) at junction 16 for Yaxley and south Minister Baroness Twycross said it represented a "poignant chapter in our shared European story". "The remarkable stories of those held in what was the first purpose-built prisoner of war camp should be remembered now and in the future," she Bradbury, chief executive of Nene Park Trust, said the charity was delighted to take on the ownership to "share its green space and unique stories for generations to come". Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
