Placentia West Heritage Committee
The Placentia West Heritage Committee is incorporated and operates as a subcommittee governed the bylaws and constitution of the parent group, the Placentia West Development Association. The Association is comprised of volunteer board members drawn from the communities of Baine Harbour, Boat Harbour, Brookside, Parker’s Cove, Red Harbour, Petite Forte, Rushoon, and South East Bight. The mandate of the PWDA is to support the economic and social development of the Placentia West area. The Heritage Committee supports this mandate by working toward these objectives:
To develop cultural tourism as an economic opportunity for the region
To transmit the intangible cultural heritage of the Placentia West region through workshops, demonstrations, job placements and storytelling
To preserve artifacts related to the culture and heritage of Placentia West
Organization History
The organization has a long history of operating within a social enterprise model, starting with the establishment of the Placentia West Matmakers co-op in 1979 followed by the craft shop in 1985. In 1994, the Paddle House Museum was opened in a ninety year old home transported from Red Harbour where it had originally been placed as part of the resettlement of Port Elizabeth. In 1996, the Tea Rose restaurant opened, offering tourists and locals an opportunity to enjoy local foods prepared using traditional methods. Feedback from visitors and workers on these sites had indicated a need to combine the venues into one and in 2014 a new building was constructed next to the other two and the économusée was established.
Current Activities
These businesses operate as social enterprises providing local employment and raising funds to further the goals of promotion and preservation of the culture and heritage of Placentia West. The committee has prepared a number of online projects that help preserve the intangible cultural heritage of the region. You can learn more about the work of the Heritage Committee by following the links below:
Community Story - Times! Times! Times!
Community Story - “And No One Lives There Anymore”
Living Heritage Economy - Case Study - The Livyers’ Lot Économusée