Clarence-Rockland, Ontario, August 25, 2011 - The City of Clarence-Rockland held an official ceremony today to celebrate the completion of two important projects: the Clarence-Rockland Arena, Event and Training Centre and the residence commons building of the Canadian International Hockey (CIH) Academy.
The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport) and Member of Parliament for Bramalea-Gore-Malton; Jean-Marc Lalonde, Member of Provincial Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell; and Marcel Guibord, Mayor of the City of Clarence-Rockland, are pleased to see these important community recreational infrastructure projects reach completion.
The Arena, Event and Training Centre boasts two NHL-sized ice surfaces and a soccer pitch. This state-of-the-art centre will increase participation in recreational activities at beginner and advanced levels. A majority of the ice rinks’ operational hours is reserved for public use and the CIH Academy will also operate an advanced hockey program from these facilities.
The new residence commons will provide students of the CIH Academy with food, health services and administrative support. The two-storey building, located between the arena and the student residence, features a cafeteria, kitchen, and administration office on the first floor, while the second floor has student lounge areas, a meeting room, and health services. On-site meeting facilities will be made available to student and local community groups alike.
“These new world-class facilities will offer countless opportunities for local residents to get active and participate in community events. The residence commons will be a home away from home for visiting hockey players and a central meeting place for community groups,” said Minister of State Gosal. “Our government is proud to invest in municipal infrastructure that contributes to building strong, sustainable and healthy communities.”
“Stimulating the economy and creating new opportunities for healthier, more active living in our communities supports Building Together, Ontario’s long-term infrastructure plan. In Clarence-Rockland, Building Together is helping to repair, rebuild and renew our sport and recreational facilities, providing spaces for families to enjoy for years to come,” said MPP Lalonde.
”The City of Clarence-Rockland is proud of the Arena, Event and Training Centre, which gives our population state-of-the-art recreation infrastructure. We would like to sincerely thank the federal and provincial governments for their support in this project. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the Canadian International Hockey Academy in the City of Clarence-Rockland. The Academy’s presence in our collectivity will definitely be an asset in our economic development strategy,” said Mayor Guibord.
The governments of Canada and Ontario are each contributing up to $6.8 million to the Arena, Event and Training Centre. Canada’s contribution is being provided through the Building Canada Fund – Major Infrastructure Component, which targets larger, strategic projects of national or regional significance. The City of Clarence-Rockland will contribute the balance of the total project cost of $20.4 million.
The Government of Canada has also contributed $3 million toward the construction of the new CIH Academy residence commons through the Community Adjustment Fund, a two-year $1-billion economic stimulus measure.
Building Together builds on the province’s unprecedented infrastructure investments to date with investments of more than $35 billion over the next three years, to create and protect over 300,000 jobs as laid out in the 2011 Budget.
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.
To learn more about the Community Adjustment Fund, visit www.feddevontario.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 Lalonde
613-446-4010
Julie Chartrand
Communications Officer
City of Clarence-Rockland
613-446-6022 ext. 2227
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148
Or toll-free 1-877-250-7154
