Halton Hills (Acton), Ontario, February 26, 2011 – The Town of Halton Hills and the governments of Canada and Ontario officially opened the new Acton Branch of the Halton Hills Public Library today.
The new 9,000 square foot, fully accessible facility offers local residents more borrowing materials, larger study and reading areas, increased Internet access, and more multi-purpose programming space. Designed to be sustainable and energy-efficient, the building is also expected to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification.
"This library is a place where residents can learn, be entertained or gather with others to take part in community activities," said MP Chong, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "This fully accessible building will be a great cultural resource for members of this community and help foster life-long learning for decades to come."
"By investing in lifelong learning and skills development through our government's Open Ontario Plan, we are creating more opportunities for Ontario families to succeed," said the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure. "This modernized library will give Acton residents access to quality learning resources for years to come."
"The Acton Branch of the Halton Hills Library is a wonderful facility in a great location. It is open and accessible to everyone and provides a unique setting that combines nature and learning with the latest technology," said Rick Bonnette, Mayor of Halton Hills. "Council is pleased that this building has many features that respect the environment. The design maximizes natural light. Acton now has a new meeting place, a point of civic pride for decades to come. It combines the best of outside with the latest inside. Our new library is Open to the World."
The governments of Canada and Ontario have each contributed over $1.1 million towards this project. The Town of Halton Hills has contributed the balance of the total eligible project cost of $3.5 million.
As part of the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund is providing funding to close to 4,000 infrastructure projects across the country, and is delivered by Infrastructure Canada.
The contribution from the Province of Ontario comes from its 2009 provincial budget, which is supporting more than 300,000 jobs and strengthening Ontario's economy.
Since 2007, the governments of Canada and Ontario have committed more than $13 billion in funding to over 6,400 infrastructure projects across the province.
For additional information about investments in infrastructure, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.
For further information about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit ontario.ca/infrastructure.
Contacts:
Office of MP Michael Chong
1-866-878-5556
Office of Minister Chiarelli
416-325-5270
Jane Diamanti
Director of Library Services
Halton Hills Public Library
905-873-2681 x 2501
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148
OR Toll-Free 1-877-250-7154
