Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

speakup

With phase one of the Miramichi Open River Eco-museum project almost complete, the museum’s planning committee says it is ready to start up the $18.3 million second phase.

At a special city council meeting, project manager Paul McGraw gave an update on the status of the project. He said phase one is 75-85 per cent complete and explained what the next stage would involve.

“[The] Miramichi Open River Eco-museum is now a reality,” he said. “We have it. It’s not something that’s a dream, that people are thinking of doing, it is a sheer reality.”

McGraw outlined work that would be done across the 11 sites along the 55- kilometre (34 mile) stretch of the Miramichi River from St. Andrew’s point and Middle Island to Beaubears Island and Vye’s Beach.

McGraw described the entire plan as a signature project for the city. By 2012, two years after the project’s 2010 completion date, the ecomuseum is expected to attract around 50,000 visitors to the region, who will contribute around $3.5 million to the local ecomony.

“The [ecomuseum] not only becomes a visitation magnet, but it also encourages people to stay,” he said.

“Make no mistake: we are creating a world-class tourism icon for the city of Miramichi.”

“This is very exciting,” Mayor John McKay said. “I certainly hope that the tourism industry will realize that this is a real magnet that will bring people to our river.”

En français : Le comité de planification du Musée Open River de Miramichi déclare être prêt pour entamer la deuxième phase de 18,3 $ millions.