The stage is set to welcome Canadian athletes to Halifax with the grand opening of the new Canada Games Centre. The Centre is a multi-purpose training and community recreation facility that will benefit Nova Scotians for many years to come.
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Central Nova, along with the Honourable Darrell Dexter, Premier of Nova Scotia, joined together Saturday with His Worship, Peter Kelly, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, to celebrate the new Centre, which will be a showcase venue for the Halifax 2011 Canada Games.
“The 2011 Canada Games represent an opportunity for Nova Scotia to mark its place on the national stage,” said Minister MacKay. “The Government of Canada is proud to have supported the Canada Games Centre, which will provide a state-of-the-art venue for the Games, a premier sports facility for the community, and a fitness centre that will benefit Nova Scotians for years to come.”
“The Canada Games Centre at the Mainland Common is the crown jewel of the Halifax 2011 Canada Games legacy,” said Premier Darrell Dexter. “Not only will this facility showcase some of Canada’s best young athletes, it will also make life better through endless opportunities for Nova Scotians to lead active, healthy lifestyles. The province is proud to have invested in this world-class facility.”
“We are honoured and excited at the prospect of hosting the Canada Games and we welcome the infrastructure legacy with which our community will be endowed,” said Mayor Kelly. “The magnificent Canada Games Centre in particular will provide recreational benefits for residents of all ages and will ensure the spirit of the Games lives on, long after the closing ceremonies.”
“The 2011 Games will have a far-reaching legacy and new infrastructure is a big part of it,” said Jean-Paul (JP) Deveau, chair of the Halifax 2011 Canada Games board of directors. “The Canada Games Centre will provide elite athletes with a state-of-the-art training ground, and will allow community members a chance to be active every day.”
Following the Games, the Centre will be Nova Scotia’s premier sport facility, providing the opportunity for the province to host regional and national sports competitions, thus increasing tourism and generating local business opportunities. Programs and services offered will assist provincial, national and international level athletes in reaching their highest performance potential. The facility will also support amateur sports enthusiasts in Nova Scotia by providing the opportunity for fitness participation, leading to better health and improved performance in areas such as education and social development.
The Centre is designed to blend community wellness programming with high performance sports training and competition under one roof. It features an eight-lane, 25-metre indoor competition pool, a leisure pool, a 52,000-square-foot field house, an indoor 200-metre running/walking track and two separate areas for spectators capable of seating 500 people combined, four full-sized gymnasium courts, an 11,500-square-foot health, fitness and wellness centre, a youth centre, several multipurpose rooms, leased space and a café.
On August 6, 2008, the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia announced a joint contribution of up to $12 million each towards the project. The federal contribution comes from the Major Infrastructure Component of the Building Canada Fund. The Halifax Regional Municipality provided the balance of approximately $20.9 million in funding for this $44.9 million project.
Canada and Nova Scotia are working together to create jobs and boost the economy, while making significant investments that help communities improve their infrastructure.
For more information visit www.halifax.ca/canadagamescentre.
