Feds, province to contribute combined $33 million for new Martensville rec centre
CBC
What started out a decade ago as a dream to build a new hockey rink in Martensville is now becoming a reality on a much bigger scale.
A proposed multi-purpose recreation facility in Martensville is getting about $33 million in federal and provincial money.
The $44-million facility will include a regulation size ice surface with spectator seating, a leisure ice surface, a full size indoor artificial turf facility, an indoor rock climbing wall and an indoor playground.
"It's so great to be able to see everyone so excited who put so much time and energy into this," said Martensville Mayor Kent Muench.
"It's really a story of passion and resilience and volunteerism and coming together and just really proving that you can actually make great change if you have a group of really passionate people."
The federal government is putting in almost $18 million while the province is adding about $15 million. The city has to come up with the other $11 million.
Muench said the community originally began fundraising more than a decade ago to build a new hockey rink with a $13-million budget, but as time went on the concept for the project just kept growing.
The city enlisted a consultant, who identified a need for an indoor turf facility, child friendly spaces, meeting rooms and cultural space.
"We said, 'you know what, yeah, that initial $13-million goal, that's great and we're doing that … but let's plan for the future,'" Muench said.
He said the site could add a third rink in the future.
There are also plans to have retail spaces on the outside of the building to help with operating costs.
Jesse Reis, chair of the Martensville Community Recreation Project, which has raised $1.7 million over the last decade, said all the volunteer work has paid off.
"You could just see the need for it in a young community that's vibrant, and people just want to attach themselves to something and grow and meet and and hang out and have a great place for their kids," Reis said.
The volunteer group raised funds using everything from cabarets to three-on-three hockey tournaments to casino nights to hockey drafts.
Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's TV and film studios and streaming division for $72 billion US, a deal that would hand control of one of Hollywood's most prized and oldest assets to the streaming pioneer that has upended the media industry.
CBC Calgary kicks off its annual Make the Season Kind campaign this morning at Fratello Coffee Roasters.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.
Students at the University of Regina are days away from deciding whether a newly formed student association should become their official representative body.
All public schools on P.E.I. are closed Friday and thousands of Maritime Electric customers are without power as strong winds create hazardous travel conditions across the province.
Prince Rupert, B.C., residents are celebrating the holidays this year with coastal flair.
In the four years Chelsey Simmonds has worked at the Eva Rothwell Centre, she has seen the need increase every year at the centre’s community food pantry.
CBC is once again looking to make the holiday season kind in Windsor-Essex.
Acute Care Alberta has extended its contract for another year with a private surgical facility at the centre of probes into health procurement and contracting.