Projects to improve recreational facilities from Earlton to Hornepayne are receiving cash from the federal and provincial governments.
Seven projects along Highway 11 are receiving money through the Canada Investment Plan. Today, joint funding for 35 recreational and community infrastructure projects across Ontario was announced.
The projects and the funding for communities in northeastern Ontario include:
- Rehabilitation and improvements to the Hearst Claude-Larose Recreation Centre. The $4.7 million project includes $1.8 million from the federal government, $1.56 million from the province, and $1.25 million from the municipality. It's for the rehabilitation of the arena and pool equipment and infrastructure to improve service, cut costs, prolong the life expectancy of the equipment and infrastructure, enhance accessibility and improve safety features for workers and users.
- The Township of Hornepayne is upgrading and expanding its community centre. The $4.68 million project includes $1.87 million from the federal government, $1.5 million from the province, and $1.2 million from the municipality. The scope includes upgrading the hockey arena, curling club and youth space and expanding the community centre to allow for a seniors' socialization space with a community kitchen, public library, fitness facility, multi-use gym and meeting space. The project will transform the community arena into a community centre and hub, according to the announcement.
- Township of Moonbeam has a $1.19 million project to create a community hub. The federal government is providing $479,780, there's $399,777 from the province and $319,893 from the municipality. The project includes installing a pavilion/roof on the outdoor skating rink, new skating rink boards, installing bleachers and new lights, rehabilitating the tennis court, and resurfacing six kilometres of paved natura trails with asphalt.
- The Town of Iroquois Falls is getting support for a $778,148 project to renovate and rehabilitate the recreation complex. The federal government is providing $311,259, the province is pitching in $259,357 and the municipality is covering $207,532. The work includes upgrading the pool boilers and the condenser cooling tower, enhancing the building envelope, rehabilitating the pool's ceiling and upgrading lighting to LED in the women's gym. The plumbing and plumbing fixtures will also be replaced, as well as the arena scoreboard and the multi-use service tractor.
- In the Township of Armstrong, there's a $473,000 project to rehabilitate the Earlton pool building. For the project, the federal government's portion is $189,200, the province is giving $157,651 and the municipality's portion is $126,149. It's to replace the plumbing and drains, upgrade the boiler to a gas heating unit paired with a rooftop solar array, raise the foundation of the facility, improve the entrance to connect to access routes the parking area, and create fully accessible washrooms, changerooms and reception area.
- Val Rita-Harty is completing a $246,550 project to rehabilitate its community centre. The funding includes $98,620 from the federal government, $82,175 from the province and $65,755 from the municipality. The work includes converting two former classrooms into a single community space and adding an electronic key system to allow for increased access to the community centre and social programming.
- A $132,311 project in the Township of Opasatika to renovate the community hub is receiving $52,925 from the federal government, $44,099 from the province, with the municipality covering $35,287. It's to demolish the existing playground structure and replace it with a new one, install a new accessibility lift, update and prepare landscaping and install safe exercise flooring.
Three projects in Timmins were also included in the funding announcement. The projects include work to rehabilitate the McIntyre Headframe, work at the Timmins Family YMCA, and Mount Jamieson Snow Resort.
