January 22, 2008
Creston, British Columbia
The Regional District of Central Kootenay will expand, renovate and upgrade the Creston and District Community Complex thanks to a joint investment of $2 million from the federal and provincial governments. This funding will be provided through the Canada B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (CBCMRIF), which supports the continued growth of B.C. communities as greener, healthier and more sustainable places to live. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Jim Abbott, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for Kootenay-Columbia, and Bill Bennett, MLA for East Kootenay.
"The renovated Creston and District Community Complex will expand from 72,000 to 103,800 square feet to help meet the growing needs of this vibrant community," said Parliamentary Secretary Abbott on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. "Through investments in projects such as this, our government is delivering on its promise to help communities grow as vibrant places to live, work and raise families."
The project will involve the construction of an attached indoor aquatic facility containing a 25-metre, six-lane pool, a therapy leisure pool, a hot pool, an indoor/outdoor waterslide, a steam/sauna room, change rooms and additional administration and operations space. The project will be built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for energy consumption, including a geothermal field to capture waste heat from the registration plant to heat the pools.
"The residents of the Creston Valley have demonstrated a strong desire to improve the quality of life in their community and showed their support for this project by referendum," said Bennett, on behalf of Community Services Minister Ida Chong. "It's expected that 50,000 people will use this facility over the next year."
The majority of the program funding from the CBCMRIF, which was launched in June 2006, supports communities of fewer than 250,000 people in minimizing the costs to taxpayers of local infrastructure upgrades or new construction projects.
At least 60 per cent of the funding will assist with "green projects" that are geared towards enhancing environmental sustainability, such as water and waste-water systems, public transit and environmental energy improvements. Other infrastructure projects will support local roads, cultural and recreational facilities, tourism and broadband connectivity. The funding for this project is conditionally approved pending the successful completion of an environmental assessment.
The total amount available through the CBCMRIF, with federal and provincial investments and matching local government contribution, is over $220 million. More details on the program are available online at http://www.canadabcmrif.ca.
Media Contacts:
Jackie StewartWestern Economic Diversification Canada604 666-1306
Marc BlackB.C. Ministry of Community Services250 356-6334
WD Toll-Free Number:1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Web Site: WD is online at www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
