Lachute, Quebec, October 2, 2009 – The municipal park of Grenville will soon have a tennis court and new play structure, today announced the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, and David Whissell, Member of the National Assembly for Argenteuil, acting on behalf of Michelle Courchesne, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports. This project is to be carried out thanks to a $60,819 investment contributed in equal part by the governments of Quebec and Canada. The Town of Grenville will assume the remainder of the project’s total cost of $121,638.
The project involves building a double tennis court, installing a climbing play structure and setting up a mini skateboard park on the existing skating rink.
“Many of our recreational facilities have become outdated and are in need of renovation. However, in a recessionary period like the one we are experiencing, it is difficult for most municipalities to assume the costs of such projects. Through our Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program provided for under Canada’s Economic Action Plan, $500 million will be invested over two years in the modernization of our sports facilities across the country. I am delighted to see this project move forward because I know it will significantly improve the well-being of residents of all ages in the municipalities of Grenville and Grenville-sur-la-Rouge,” explained Minister Lebel.
“This investment will help make Grenville’s park more appealing to the municipality’s young people and families. This is an initiative that is sure to play an important role in improving the quality of life in Grenville and its surrounding areas. I am convinced that these new installations will be welcomed by the younger members of the community, who will find everything there they need to develop an active and healthy lifestyle,” added Mr. Whissell.
The Mayor of Grenville, Ronald Tittlit, said he is very pleased about this announcement. “We have been working on this project for many years. Some of our citizens have expressed the desire to have a tennis court in their municipality. I am delighted that now we will be able to offer them so much more, and all of it in a pleasant and safe environment. This new sports facility will add to the other installations already in place, including the outdoor skating rink, basketball court, children’s playground and baseball diamond,” he noted.
The governments of Canada and Quebec signed an agreement to accelerate the execution of recreational infrastructure modernization and rehabilitation projects in Quebec over the next two years. To that end, the Government of Canada will invest $37.4 million and the Government of Quebec at least an equivalent amount for recreational infrastructure projects carried out in cost-sharing partnership with municipal administrations or local organizations. These investments are thus expected to generate greater financial leverage, as is the case with the other infrastructure programs.
The funding announced today has been awarded through the Programme de soutien aux installations sportives et récréatives of the Government of Quebec’s Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique and through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program.
The Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program, part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, is intended to stimulate immediate economic recovery and reduce the short-term impacts of the global recession. Government investment in this area will help create new jobs and improve the population’s health and quality of life. For more on this plan, see www.actionplan.gc.ca.
The Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique was established by the Government of Quebec to ensure the province’s regions better access to new and improved sports facilities in order to promote healthier lifestyles among their populations. For further details on this program, visit www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/ (in French only).
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Sources:
Kim Ledoux
Press Secretary
Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports
Tel.: 418-644-0664
Mélanie Cayer
Press Secretary
Office of the MNA for Argenteuil
Tel.: 450-562-0785
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
