Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Saturday, October 9, 2010 – Acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Danielle St-Amand, Member of the National Assembly for Trois-Rivières, today officially inaugurated the new artificial turf soccer-football field at Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières, taking the opportunity to note that this project was made possible, in part, by a joint contribution of $1,654,590 from the governments of Canada and Quebec. Unable to attend the event, the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, expressed his delight that this project has now been completed.
"The laying of artificial turf on the Séminaire Saint-Joseph soccer-football field is sure to enhance the quality of life of the young athletes who will be using this site for the practice of sports," commented Minister of State Lebel.
"Given the growing popularity of sports in the Mauricie region, I am glad that our governments have joined forces with the Séminaire Saint-Joseph to upgrade these recreational facilities in a perspective of sustainable development. In so doing, we are encouraging all citizens to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle," stated MNA St-Amand.
Séminaire Saint-Joseph deTrois-Rivières, an educational institution with solid roots in the Trois-Rivières community, is the site of the only sports field in the city's downtown core. For more than 50 years, this field has been used by students enrolled in the school's football program as well as by various Mauricie competition teams, intra-city sports teams, local adult leagues, summer camps and the public at large.
The funding for this project was awarded through the Government of Canada's Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program and the Government of Quebec's Programme Infrastructures de loisirs.
The Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program, part of Canada's Economic Action Plan adopted by the federal government in January 2009, 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.
For further details on the state of advancement of the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, visit www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca (only in French).
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Sources:
Marianne Méthot
Political Advisor
Office of the MNA for Trois-Rivières
Tel.: 819-371-6901
Benoît Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319
