Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, May 13, 2013 – Residents in Lunenburg County are eagerly anticipating the grand opening of the new Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre, as it will provide more opportunities to get fit and stay active. Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and for the Atlantic Gateway and Member of Parliament for South Shore – St. Margaret's; Gary Ramey, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lunenburg West; Don Zwicker, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg; His Worship David Walker, Mayor of the Town of Bridgewater; and Paul Belliveau, Chair of Lunenburg County Multi-Purpose Centre Board of Directors, gathered today to witness progress at the facility's construction site.
The Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre will be a year-round sport, recreational and cultural facility. It will include an aquatic centre accommodating leisure and competitive users, a therapeutic pool, a public library and other multi-purpose spaces, including administrative offices, community and cultural spaces and areas capable of hosting meetings, exercise classes, senior citizens' activities and many other functions.
"Our government is proud to invest in significant infrastructure projects like this one, as we focus on creating jobs, promoting growth, and building strong, prosperous communities here in Nova Scotia, and across Canada,"
said Parliamentary Secretary Gerald Keddy. "We recognize the importance of supporting infrastructure investments that offer countless opportunities for residents to get active and participate in community events for years to come."
"By supporting facilities and organizations, we're supporting Nova Scotians to lead healthier, more active lives,"
said Gary Ramey, ministerial assistant for Health and Wellness. "The Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre will soon be a hive of healthy activity for families in this area of the South Shore, from swimming and skating to enjoying a good book in the library."
Paul Belliveau, Chair of the Lunenburg County Multi-Purpose Centre Board of Directors, the governing body of the Lifestyle Centre, agrees. "Our community has a major need for a facility such as this and we are looking forward to its opening to help improve the wellness of our community from both a personal and economic perspective. The LCLC will provide people with a reason to move to our area and will also give people a reason to stay in our area."
The total project cost is estimated at $34.1 million, with the Government of Canada providing up to one-third of the eligible costs to a maximum of $10.18 million from the Major Infrastructure Component of the Building Canada Fund. The Government of Nova Scotia, through the Department of Health and Wellness, is providing $10 million to the project, with the communities from Town of Bridgewater and the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg contributing a total of $13.9 million.
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2013 is delivering a New Building Canada Plan to build roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail, and other public infrastructure in cooperation with provinces, territories, and municipalities. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership and strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than 910,000 net new jobs created since July 2009. The New Building Canada Plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments, supports Canada's infrastructure advantage, a key enabler of economic growth and job creation.
For additional information about federal investments in infrastructure and to stay up-to-date with Web feeds, visit Infrastructure Canada.
For further information on Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit Canada's Economic Action Plan.
Marie-Josée Paquette
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
613-991-0700
Tony Kiritsis
Department of Health and Wellness
902-424-0585
Cellular: 902-483-7887
Email: tony.kirisis@gov.ns.ca
Isobel Leslie
Administrative Coordinator
Lunenburg County Multi-Purpose Centre Corporation
c/o 60 Pleasant Street
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia B4V 3X9
Phone: 902-541-4374
Email: ileslie@lclc.ca
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251 or toll-free 1-877-250-7154
