HRM Regional Council has given the green light to enter into a joint partnership with the Province on a $10.7-million community centre and regulation size artificial turf sports field for the new Bedford-Hammonds Plains high school.

“I want to thank the Province, my Council colleagues, staff, and residents for their tremendous support of this once-in-every-30-years’ opportunity,” District 21 Councillor Tim Outhit said today. “This facility and field will address a long-time need for sports, meeting, and recreation space in our growing community.

The multi-million dollar project is to be paid through a combination of HRM budget allocation and the Bedford-Hammonds Plains Area Rate. The details will be discussed and finalized in the upcoming 2011-12 HRM budget process.

“The outdoor turf will benefit football and soccer leagues all across HRM,” District 23 Councillor Peter Lund said. “Expansion of the basketball court and construction of a second court are welcome additions to our community. Not only will the sports community benefit, folks in Bedford and Hammonds Plains will have a community space to call home, a place to gather, read, exercise and watch student performances.”

The initial motion to help fund half of the capital cost of the local project through the area rate was approved by North West Community Council on January 27, 2011.

In April 2009, the Province announced a replacement for the Charles P. Allen High School by September 2013. Last December, Innovation Drive was selected as the site for the new school.

The project falls within Bedford West, one of HRM’s designated Master Plan growth areas. The Province is currently working on the detailed design phase for the new school.

The Bedford Councillor noted that the announcement of a new school for the area provided yet another opportunity for the region to look at the benefits of partnering with the Province to expand the school to include a community centre component. This partnership would reduce construction costs over building a stand-alone municipal facility by almost $2.6 million.

Source: http://www.bedfordbeacon.com/centre-and-sports-field-to-be-added-to-new-bedford-high-school