Port au Port Economic Development             Association (PAPEDA)

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	Where We Are
	The Port au Port Economic Development Association is an active organization involving itself in all social and economic development of the area. PAPEDA is located in Piccadilly, on the west coast of Newfoundland; a province on the east coast of Canada. The following is a map of Canada with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador highlighted in yellow.
	Map of Canada

	The Beginning of the Development Association
	The Port au Port "Economic Development Association was formed in 1964 by a group of local people, alarmed by the prospect of losing the area's major employer - The U.S. Air Force Base in Stephenville. The association, which was initially called the Port au Port District council, was established to develop an economic plan which might sustain the area after the base closed.
	In the beginning, the town of Stephenville and much of Bay St. George was included in its boundaries, as they would be greatly affected if and when the base closed. The following is a map of the area the Develoment Association currently serves.

The first meeting of the board took place on January 10, 1965. At that time the board members included:

	Michael Harper, President	Raymond House, Vice President
	Mrs. Joseph Laffin, Secretary	Rev. Fr. J. Curran, Executive Member
	Leonard House, Executive Member	Doug Campbell, Executive Member
	Max Snow, Sr., Executive Member	Howard Bourgeois, Executive Member
	Tony Grace, Excutive Member	Dr. J. Power, Executive Member

	Government Recognition
	In 1971, the Development Association received recognition for its work, in the form of a grant of $10,000.00. They used the money to hire the first coordinator - Mr. A. J. (Gus) Joy. During the same year, the first Federal Government make-work program - the Local Initiatives Program began. Both were signs that the Development Association was recognized as a needed organization.