Construction Drawings/Interpretive Designs Completed for Joggins Fossil Cliffs Project

August 9, 2006

 

Joggins, NS - After approximately 10 years of development work and planning, construction of a world-class interpretive centre for the Joggins Fossil Cliffs is close to becoming a reality.

Construction drawings and interpretive designs for the 13,000 square foot centre have been completed. The project is on schedule for a tender date of August 15th with anticipated ground breaking before year end. The centre, which will open in 2007, will house a gift shop, a lab and 6,000 feet of exhibition space devoted to the significance of the cliffs. The centre is the key component of a $7.5-million project that will also see much improved access to the beach and nomination in 2007 of the Fossil Cliffs and beach area as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

A Halifax-based architectural and design firm, WHW Architects, was chosen last September to provide consulting services for the development of a Comprehensive Site Development Plan for designing, constructing and operating the Fossil Cliffs Centre and associated infrastructure. As the prime consultant, WHW Architects was responsible for the project as a whole, with a particular focus on architectural and engineering services for the Interpretive Centre and site, along with detailed engineering for beach access at what is known as the Dugway site. Design and Communications Inc. (D+C) of Montreal was the major sub-contractor responsible for providing services for exhibit and visitor experience design including interpretive planning.

Jenna Boon, Senior Project Manager for the Joggins Fossil Cliffs said the result of this collaboration between WHW Architects and D+C is spectacular. “The building design incorporates local materials including Wallace sandstone and will blend in perfectly with the location overlooking Chignecto Bay and the Fossil Cliffs. The design also captures the scope and magnitude of the cliffs while evoking memories of the community’s coal mining history,” she said. Boon went on to state that the interpretive designs for the centre and site are world-class and like nothing found anywhere else in the region.

The green design interpretive centre will feature a vegetation roof and a wind tower to provide electricity. Once completed, the centre is expected to employ approximately 10 people on a full or part time basis. Based on existing visitor statistics, estimated initial visitation is 40,000 annually.

Meanwhile, a wind test tower has been placed near the building site of the Joggins Fossil Cliff Interpretive Centre. The purpose of the tower is to collect data on the wind speed, temperature and wind direction and to determine the amount of wind energy that could be generated for the Interpretive Centre. The test is being conducted in partnership with the Nova Scotia Wind Energy Project, (NSWEP) whose goal is to raise awareness of climate change in Nova Scotia and to demonstrate how wind energy could be used to mitigate climate change through the use of wind turbine technology.

The Joggins Fossil Cliffs project is a collaborative effort being lead by a project team that includes numerous dedicated individuals from all levels of government, members of the scientific community, tourism organizations, and representatives from the community. These individuals are working with the Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association (CREDA) to develop the Fossil Cliffs and submit application to UNESCO for World Heritage Designation.

It is anticipated that the nomination dossier for World Heritage Site status will be presented to UNESCO in February 2007, followed by an 18-month evaluation process with a final decision on the prestigious designation by summer 2008.

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For more information contact:
Jenna Boon, Senior Project Manager
Rhonda Kelly, Executive Director, CREDA
Telephone: (902) 667-3638
Fax: (902) 667-2270