New France included in provincial land purchase

By Leanne Delong & Karla Kelly

DIGBY COURIER

NovaNewsNow.com

New France is one of the 31 parcels of land throughout Digby, Yarmouth, Annapolis and Cumberland Counties sold by J.D. Irving to the province last month.

The province has a legislated goal to protect 12 per cent of its landmass by 2015.

Playwright and director of New France play ‘Lights in the Forest’ Hal Theriault said the government’s purchase of Irving land particularly parcel 12 is exciting news. “Parcel 12 is New France,” said Theriault. “It presents the possibility of preserving the site to celebrate the heritage of the area and the province.”

He feels it could also offer tourism and economic development that is sustainable and ecologically sound.

Digby Annapolis MLA Harold Theriault agrees it was a good purchase. “New France’s history is part of our culture,” said MLA Harold Theriault. “If we don’t take care of our past and know where we came from, we could get lost in our future.”

New France Historical Society past president Medard Comeau is happy about the purchase as well but questions what will happen to the land.

Although the historical society disbanded two years ago, Comeau has a deep interest in New France. “Irving looked after it until it was sold so they were still maintaining it even into last summer,” said Comeau.

Last year the guest book was filled and another one had to be started, which means a lot of people still go out there so Comeau hopes the provincial government will keep up the maintenance.