Kitchener, Ontario, August 13, 2011 – Federal, provincial and municipal representatives gathered in Kitchener today to officially open the new McLennan Park.
The 39-hectare park provides area residents with a wide array of amenities, including a leash-free dog run, a playground, a splash pad, multi-use courts, trails and a skateboard park. During winter, the park will also serve as a skating and tobogganing venue.
“Infrastructure improvements such as these help our communities stay active, healthy and happy,” said Harold Albrecht, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our government is proud to have contributed to the development of McLennan Park, a project that has boosted the local economy, improved the park options for Kitchener families and made this new green space a more enjoyable place to be for people of all ages.”
“The Ontario government is providing new opportunities for children, youth and adults to stay active and healthy,” said Leeanna Pendergast, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga. “The completion of McLennan Park allows people of all ages to enjoy the new facility year-round while being active within their community.”
“This park reinforces our commitment to the environment. We’ve not only turned a former garbage dump into a space the public can use, but McLennan Park is now a flagship park with strong amenities to help citizens keep active and have fun,” said Mayor Carl Zehr. “This has been a long time coming, and it’s been worth the wait!”
The governments of Canada and Ontario are each contributing one third of the total eligible project costs, up to $1 million. The City of Kitchener is contributing the balance of the total project cost of $3 million.
Federal funding for this project comes from the Government of Canada’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which is providing funding to over 4,100 infrastructure projects across the country.
This project supports Building Together, Ontario’s long-term infrastructure plan to repair, rebuild and renew the province’s roads and highways, bridges, public transit, schools and postsecondary institutions, hospitals and courthouses. Since 2003, the McGuinty government has created and supported 600,000 jobs and invested $62 billion in infrastructure. Through Building Together, Ontario will continue to make significant investments in public infrastructure, starting with an investment of more than $35 billion over the next three years.
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:
Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Office of MPP Leeanna Pendergast
519-571-3276
Andrea Bailey
City of Kitchener
519-741-2458
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148
Or toll-free 1-877-250-7154
