Provincial funding upgrades hundreds of local facilities

TORONTO—Ontario has announced funding for upgrades to over 200 community facilities such as sports centres and parks as part of a Canada 150th anniversary infrastructure program.

Eleanor McMahon, minister of tourism, culture and sport, made the announcement Jan. 31 at Gilda’s Club Simcoe Muskoka in Barrie, an organization that provides free social and emotional support for people suffering from cancer.

The club will receive $24,000 through the Ontario 150 Community Capital Program.

Funding under the program is intended to support increased accessibility and improved safety and maximize community use of public spaces.

Larger projects and programs to be funded include:

• Boys & Girls Club of London, $348,500. The grant is for accessibility, equipment and infrastructure upgrades to the club’s multi-use community centre.

• Camp Oochigeas, $500,000. Expanding the size of the Creative Arts and Music Centre, creating opportunities for more programming.

• Camp Winston, $299,400. Making essential structural upgrades and retrofitting one of the camp’s original lodges.

• City of Burlington, $500,000. Refurbishing the Joseph Brant Museum to current AODA/museum standards.

• City of Hamilton, $500,000. Renovating the change rooms and make accessibility upgrades to the Ancaster Aquatic Centre.

• City of Peterborough, $300,000. Rehabilitating Barnardo Park, replacing aging play structures and making the space and equipment more accessible.

• City of Barrie, $260,000. Installing a basketball court, which will double as an outdoor artificial rink at Centennial Park.

• City of Oshawa, $272,500. Rehabilitating the existing Waterfront Trail’s pedestrian bridge.

• Egale Canada Human Rights Trust, $483,900. Installing an elevator and making interior and exterior upgrades to an accessible space for LGBTQI2S youth.

• Evergreen, $500,000. Renovating a heritage building to create Future Citybuilders’ Lab, a youth-oriented, experiential education space.

• Jewish Russian Speaking Community of Toronto, $500,000. Increasing the operational capacity of the JRCC Furniture Depot with renovations to the facility.

• Municipality of South Dundas, $315,000. Upgrading the ice pad surface at the Morrisburg Arena.

• Reena, $484,000. Renovating the Battle Centre, modernizing the structure and upgrading electrical and communications systems.

• Municipality of Leamington, $400,000. Constructing an amphitheatre at Seacliff Park.

• Town of Caledon, $500,000. Replacing the Mayfield Recreation Complex’s arena floor and board system.

• Town of Milton, $500,000. Replacing the roof at the Milton Leisure Centre.

• Town of Newmarket, $500,000. Renovations and upgrades to the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex.

• Township of Bonnechere Valley, $445,000. Replacing the brine system, ice pad and dehumidifiers at the Eganville Community Arena.

• Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, $500,000. Creating a more energy-efficient ice maintenance system at Otonabee Memorial Community Centre.

• Variety Village $400,000. Renovating four washrooms and two change rooms.

YMCA of Greater Toronto, $500,000. Making structural, electrical and accessibility upgrades to the North York YMCA site.