Magog (Québec), June 13, 2011 –On the occasion of the official opening of the Marais-de-la-Rivière-aux-Cerises Interpretation Centre, the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Pierre Reid, Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Orford, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in recalling the $2,344,312 in joint government financial assistance awarded to the organization Association du Marais-de-la-Rivière-aux-Cerises under the Communities Componentof the Building Canada Fund – Quebec.
In the view of Minister Lebel, “construction of the Marais-de-la-Rivière-aux-Cerises Interpretation Centre will contribute to improving the quality of life of Magog residents and of its visitors, and do so in a context of sustainable development.”
“The entire project will have a positive impact in many respects, especially in terms of raising public awareness of the importance of the different flora and fauna in our Magog environment. In addition to its structuring effect on the development of the region, it will reinforce the tourist potential of Magog and of the Estrie region. Our government is proud to have contributed to this achievement, which has provided the City of Magog with infrastructure tailored to its situation and focused on sustainable development,” added MNA Pierre Reid.
Located in the heart of Magog, the Cherry River Marsh, as it is referred to by the Anglophone community in the area, boasts six kilometres of trails, an observation tower, a covered terrace and elevated walkways that allow visitors to discover the rich diversity of the marsh’s ecosystems. These facilities have now been enhanced with the new observation, education and interpretive centre which opened today. The new centre will accommodate school groups, tourist and recreational tours. Its establishment will enable the organization to pursue its mission to preserve the marsh, its history and its ecosystems and their roles in the environment, while maintaining and developing the marsh wetland as a whole and promoting environment protection.
Completion of this project necessitated an overall eligible investment of $3,516,467. The governments of Quebec and Canada each contributed $1,172,156 toward the work, for a total of $2,344,312 in combined government funding, with the organization Association du Marais-de-la-Rivière-aux-Cerises investing the remaining third, or $1,172,155, of the project’s costs.
The Communities Componentof the Building Canada Fund – Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding infrastructure projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These communities are thus able to use this assistance to improve infrastructure that is in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
The contribution from the Government of Canada was awarded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. To learn more about this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For further information on the Government of Quebec’s Quebec Infrastructure Plan, see www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.
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Sources :
Benoît Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319
Nicole Ronaldi
Political Attaché
Office of Pierre Reid
MNA for Orford
Tel.: 819-847-3911
