Norfolk County has been notified that the ALL Norfolk Community Centre project has not been nominated for federal review and approval.
The highly competitive Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s Community, Culture and Recreation stream saw demand for more than $10 billion against nearly $1 billion in available funding.
“The application for funding was a long shot, and with this kind of demand, it’s not a surprising outcome,” says Mayor Kristal Chopp. “We’re disappointed, but we remain hopeful that our second application, which will assist in adding change room capacity at our existing arenas, will be successful.
“We will also continue to fight for the infrastructure funding we need for a long list of projects, the most critical of which will address our water supply issues,” she says. “We need the full support of our MPP on this, and I hope that with this support, we’ll finally be able to get the funding we so desperately need.”
Bill Cridland, General Manager of Community and Emergency Services, says that staff have continued to work on plans to ensure the long-term viability of the County’s current recreational facilities.
“Many of our facilities are aging and in need of repair, but we continue to do what we can to ensure everyone who wants to can make use of our recreational spaces,” says Cridland. “That includes addressing the renewal of our ice facilities, but also addressing the increasing demand on facilities such as pools.”
“Despite our current facilities being outdated and in need of repair, demand for pool use is extremely high. If we want to continue to build a healthy and active community without building a hub, Council is going to have to figure out how to provide a better pool for Norfolk’s swimmers,” says Chopp.
Norfolk County thanks the community for its support of this project, and in particular, the members of the Recreational Facilities Advisory Board who provided advice and guidance throughout the process.
