L'Islet, Quebec, May 20, 2010 – A new service building and children's water play area will soon be built in the Municipality of L'Islet's Parc des Cabrioles, today jointly announced Bernard Généreux, Member of Parliament for Montmagny–L'Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup, acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, and Norbert Morin, Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Montmagny-L'Islet and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Planning and the Public Domain, acting on behalf of Michelle Courchesne, Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports.
This project will be carried out thanks to $114,012 in joint government funding contributed in equal part by the governments of Quebec and Canada, with the Municipality of L'Islet investing $59,617 in the initiative and various partners covering the remainder of the costs.
"Many of our recreational facilities are in need of renovation and improvement. But restoring public infrastructure entails costs that municipalities are unable to assume entirely on their own. That is why the Government of Canada introduced the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program, through which $500 million will be invested over two years in the modernization of our sports and recreational facilities across the country. I am delighted to see this Parc des Cabrioles project carried out because I know it will greatly improve quality of life for L'Islet residents and visitors to the community," explained Bernard Généreux.
The work will involve upgrading the park's existing infrastructure by installing a new water play area for children and building a service pavilion with bathroom facilities to serve as changing rooms in the summer months and a shelter for skaters during the winter season.
"This project clearly shows that the municipality is listening to the needs of its residents, who, in spring 2007, came out strongly in favour of having the park equipped with these kinds of facilities. I am sure this site will quickly become one of L'Islet's most popular meeting grounds. What a great way to encourage children to engage in regular exercise and acquire a healthy lifestyle," added Norbert Morin.
The governments of Canada and Quebec signed an agreement to accelerate the execution of recreational infrastructure projects in Quebec by March 31, 2011. To that end, the Government of Canada will invest $76 million and the Government of Quebec at least that amount in 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 Government of Canada's Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program.
Established under the economic action plan adopted by the federal government in January 2009, the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program is aimed at stimulating immediate economic recovery and reducing 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 created by the Government of Quebec to ensure all of the province's regions access to new and improved sports facilities in order to promote healthier lifestyles among their populations. For further details on this initiative, visit http:www.mels.gouv.qc.ca.
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Sources:
Tamara Davis
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Education,
Recreation and Sports
Tel.: 418-644-0664
Mireille Thibault
Political Attaché
Office of MNA Norbert Morin
Tel.: 418-234-1893
Ève Cardinal
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319
E-mail: eve.cardinal@dec-ced.gc.ca
