Minister Denis Lebel underscores progress in renovations on Normandin Sports Centre

Canada-Quebec Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program Agreement

One of many recreational facility construction progress or completion events in communities across Canada today

Normandin, Quebec, August 29, 2010 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development today officially toured the Normandin Sports Centre site. He joined other members of our Government taking part in similar events across the country to celebrate the progress or completion of community recreational construction projects funded under the Government’s Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program.

"I am delighted today to see how far the work has come on the Normandin sports centre. These renovations, which will soon be completed, will help improve the functionality of an arena that, it should be recalled, serves not only the Municipality of Normandin but also those of Albanel, Saint-Thomas-Didyme, Saint-Edmond-les-Plaines and Girardville. The modernization of our sports infrastructure is essential to ensuring that citizens have access to better facilities that promote a physically-active lifestyle and raise the quality of life of area residents," explained the Minister of State.

The Normandin sports centre renovation project, which was started last April, involves changing the lighting system on the skating rink and replacing the garage door in order to reduce energy consumption. The work also calls for repairs to the roof, the rebuilding of an external wall and replacement of the isolation and the installation of a ventilation and dehumidification system to extend the lifespan of the building.

In February 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the RInC program as part of Canada’s Economic Plan to stimulate Canada’s economy, create and sustain jobs and position Canada for sustainable, long-term economic success.

Through Canada’s six regional development agencies and in partnership with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, the RInC program is providing funding for hockey rinks, swimming pools, parks and other recreational sites in communities from coast to coast to coast. To date, money has been committed to over 2,000 projects, with 1,900 underway or completed.

"Through our driver investments in the country's sports infrastructure, the Government of Canada is seeing to it that our communities have the very best recreational facilities, skating rinks, swimming pools, parks and sports fields. Not only do these projects create local jobs, they promote the economic growth of the communities in which they are being carried out," Minister Lebel concluded.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: www.dec-ced.gc.ca/docs/2010-08-29-vignette-normandin.jpg

From left to right: Bernard Bouchard, Manager, Normandin Sports Centre, Lucien Guillemette, Mayor of Normandin, the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development and Guy Mailloux, Executive director, City of Normandin

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Sources:

Éléonore Côté
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-668-5928
Cell.: 418-321-0295
E-mail: eleonore.cote@dec-ced.gc.ca

Benoît Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3732
E-mail: benoit.fortin@dec-ced.gc.ca