Our government is committed to supporting these public spaces so that they may be enjoyed for generations to come.
I recently had the opportunity to announce major facility improvements at the Don Beer Arena and the demolition and expansion of the BayRidges Kinsmen Park Fieldhouse.
The Don Beer Arena project is worth $2,520,000, and will feature numerous upgrades and changes to the 40 year old facility. Some of these features include a publicly accessible green roof; significant energy saving and sustainable HVAC, plumbing and lighting retrofits; enhanced and expanded change rooms and washrooms; and multiple handicap-accessible upgrades including the installation of an elevator to improve access to the second floor.
The BayRidges Kinsmen Park Fieldhouse project is worth $300,000, and will go towards overhauling the facility to make it more energy efficient and sustainable. In addition, the new building will be insulated to permit longer seasonal use for the benefit of sports groups, and have enhanced storage capacity for maintenance equipment.
This funding will help to build a healthier and stronger community by bringing residents together, whether as participants or as spectators.
Across the province, investments like this were made possible through the joint efforts of the Government of Canada’s Recreational Infrastructure Canada program and the province’s Ontario Recreation Program along with the resources of the many community organizations that have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of Ontarians each and everyday.
Working together across ministries and across all levels of government is the key to providing the infrastructure projects that all Canadians need.
A 2007 review conducted by Parks and Recreation Ontario reported that 30 to 50 per cent of Ontario’s community centres, pools and arenas are approaching the end of their useful life. Our joint federal provincial efforts to ensure adequate facilities for sport and recreation are central, not only to improving rates of physical activity, but ultimately to improving health. Participation in sport, physical activity and recreation provide so many benefits – to our physical, economic and social well-being.
On the economic front, the benefits of this project are far-reaching to our community. They’ll boost The City of Pickering and the surrounding region’s economy and create much-needed jobs – jobs that will help to address some of the challenges Ontario is facing in these difficult economic times.