Niagara College officially opened its new Wine Visitor + Education Centre at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus today, following an historic visit by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
“The new Wine Visitor + Education Centre is a wonderful showcase for the Ontario and Canadian wine industry,” said Dan Patterson, President, Niagara College, “The new facility also showcases our students, our College, and the important work all Canadian colleges do in preparing skilled, job-ready graduates who drive our key industries.”
The Official Opening ceremony is the lead event celebrating the launch of the $3.6 million Wine Visitor + Education Centre, a unique state-of-the-art industry centre set in the College’s teaching vineyards. The Centre will showcase and promote the Ontario and Canadian wine industry, provide wine tourism information services, and feature academic and wine industry programming.
The Wine Visitor + Education Centre is part of an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment plan that includes major projects at Niagara College’s Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake Campuses. Details and images of Niagara College’s Wine Visitor and Education Centre can be found at www.winevisitorandeducationcentre.ca.
“The new Wine Visitor + Education Centre has been developed in response to the feedback and needs of the Canadian wine industry and serves as a model for responsive, industry-linked applied education. Our graduates enter the workforce with real-world industry learning and experience,” said Patterson, “The new facility will also serve as a living laboratory for Niagara College’s leading cluster of wine, culinary and hospitality and tourism students. The graduates from these top-rated programs are in high demand across Canada, and throughout the world.”
The Wine Visitor + Education Centre will also house the operations of the Niagara College Teaching Winery, Canada’s first and only commercial teaching winery. With a full range of production winemaking equipment and facilities, the Niagara College Teaching Winery provides students with learning opportunities that range from the grape crush to selling the finished product in the Teaching Winery’s on-site retail store. All proceeds from wine sales support student learning in Niagara College’s Winery and Viticulture Technician, Wine Business Management and Certified Sommelier programs. Details of the Niagara College Teaching Winery and Niagara College’s wine and viticulture programs can be found at www.niagaracollegewine.ca.
Niagara College will be hosting a public open house at the new Wine Visitor + Education Centre on November 7 and 8.
With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched a $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.
Wine Visitor + Education images and backgrounders are available for download at www.winevisitorandeducationcentre.ca/downloads.htm.
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For information regarding the Niagara College Wine Visitor + Education Centre, contact:
Jon Ogryzlo
Dean, Food and Wine Sciences, Niagara College
905-641-2252, ext. 4474
jogryzlo@niagaracollege.ca
