Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, September 11, 2010 – Yellowknife residents celebrated today the grand opening of the new Yellowknife Fieldhouse. This new facility will have a positive impact on the health and well-being of local residents by encouraging participation in indoor soccer and other sports.
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for the North, Robert C. McLeod, Northwest Territories Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Gordon Van Tighem, Mayor of Yellowknife, and other officials were pleased to see the infrastructure initiative completed.
“The new Fieldhouse is a welcome addition to Yellowknife, improving access to high quality soccer facilities and acting as a draw for those wishing to participate in sport,” said Minister Aglukkaq, on behalf of Chuck Strahl, Canada’s Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “This is a great example of what can be accomplished when governments work together to support infrastructure priorities and the needs of Northern communities.”
“Investing in recreational infrastructure, such as the Yellowknife Fieldhouse, is an investment that helps develop a strong, healthy, vibrant community,” said Minister McLeod. “With the various different physical activities that will be offered at the Yellowknife Fieldhouse, residents will have more opportunities to get active and have fun.”
“A few years back, the soccer community approached the city about an indoor facility,” commented Mayor Van Tighem. “At about the same time seniors, persons with diabetes and post surgical nurses identified the need for a year round walking track. It is great to see both dreams supported by the City, Building Canada, Aurora Minor Soccer and our Elks Lodge.”
The facility boasts two multi-sport fields, an indoor playground for preschoolers, and a 240-metre, three-lane running track in addition to a permanent home for the Yellowknife Air Cadet Squadron.
The Governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories invested $4.37 million toward the new Fieldhouse. Federal funding for the initiative came from the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund, which is part of the Building Canada plan and is designed to provide investments in the Northwest Territories for core infrastructure priorities such as water, wastewater, green energy, regional and community airports, roads as well as sports and culture infrastructure projects. In addition, the Yellowknife Elks Lodge #314 contributed $560,000 toward the project and $58,980 was contributed by Aurora Minor Soccer. The remaining $12.6 million was funded through the City’s Major Community Facility Reserve, a reserve established to fund future community facilities.
“We are pleased to partner with the City of Yellowknife on the Fieldhouse project,” said Gerry LePrieur, Exalted Ruler of Yellowknife Elks Lodge #314. “Our contribution to the Fieldhouse, in particular the Annex, will provide a long term home for the Yellowknife Elks 825 Air Cadet Squadron. This program, which we have sponsored over the past 35 years, has provided a positive focus for many of our youth.”
“AMSL looks forward to the sport of soccer being further developed with the completion and opening of this new facility,” said Aurora Minor Soccer League President John Buist with respect to the two multi sport fields. “We are pleased to have played a contribution role in the Fieldhouse with the inclusion of the divider curtains on each field.”
The Government of the Northwest Territories is working closely with the Government of Canada and the NWT Association of Communities to ensure that infrastructure funds are spent on priority initiatives throughout the territory. The Northwest Territories’ total federal allocation for initiatives under the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund agreement is $185.8 million, and this funding has been fully committed towards 63 priority infrastructure initiatives worth over $310 million.
Across all of its funds, Infrastructure Canada has now committed approximately $10.2 billion towards over 6,100 infrastructure projects as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. When combined with the contributions of our funding partners, there is close to $30.5 billion committed to infrastructure projects across the country.
For more information about infrastructure projects in the Northwest Territories, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.
For more information, please contact:
John Babcock
Press Secretary
Office of the Hon. Chuck Strahl
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Rebecca Alty
Communications Advisor
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs
Government of the Northwest Territories
867-920-3092
Brian Kelln
Program Manager
City of Yellowknife
867-920-5647
Gerry LePrieur
Yellowknife Elks Lodge #314
867-669-0553
John Buist
President AMSL
867-920-3349
