Government of Canada invests in Lakeshore Recreation
February 22, 2013,
LAKESHORE, ONTARIO – Families and residents of Lakeshore and the surrounding region will soon benefit from new opportunities to get fit and stay active. Jeff Watson, Member of Parliament for Essex and Tom Bain, Mayor of the Town of Lakeshore, today announced Government of Canada funding for the new Lakeshore Multi-Use Recreational Facility.
“This state-of-the-art recreation centre will offer residents a wide variety of sporting and cultural opportunities that will make Lakeshore an even better place to live and raise a family,” said MP Jeff Watson, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our Government is pleased to provide significant funding for this new facility as we focus on creating jobs and building strong, prosperous communities.”
“Lakeshore is Essex County’s largest and fastest growing community. The new Multi-Use Recreational Facility will deliver the recreational facilities, including a pool, that all our residents expect, and deserve. We thank the Government of Canada for its commitment and success in bringing this vision to a reality,” said Tom Bain, Mayor of the Town of Lakeshore.
This major complex will include three ice pads, a gymnasium, an aquatic centre, an indoor walking track, seven outdoor soccer fields and an outdoor five-kilometre, multi-purpose trail for walking, running, cycling and skateboarding. In addition, a library, several community rooms and meeting space will help bring the community together.
The Government of Canada will invest up to $17.3 million towards one-third of the facility’s total eligible costs. This funding will come from the Building Canada Fund – Major Infrastructure Component, which supports projects that promote economic growth, community recreation, cultural and tourism development. Federal funding is conditional on the project meeting all of the requirements under the Building Canada Fund and the signing of a contribution agreement.
The total estimated cost of the new multi-use recreational facility is $57.1 million. The Province of Ontario announced last year that it is also contributing $17.3 million towards the project, with the Town of Lakeshore responsible for all remaining costs.
Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides new opportunities for growth, job creation and long-term prosperity. Strengthening infrastructure across the country is an important part of this plan. Thanks to the Government of Canada’s leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than 900,000 net new jobs created since July 2009.
