Park funding
Morrissey announces $382,774 in funding for 11 Prince County projects
Bicentennial Park in Tignish was one of 11 projects that received money from the Community Infrastructure Program 150 announcement.
In previous roles as recreation director and Irish Moss Festival chair in Tignish, Chancey Gaudette had pursued a special project to bring a splash pad to her community’s Bicentennial Park.
On Wednesday, in her new role as office manager for the Town of Tignish, Gaudette was in attendance to hear that the Community Infrastructure Program (CIP) 150 will provide $55,816 to assist with the creation of the splash pad and a walking track in the park. Coupled with proceeds from fundraising efforts, Gaudette said the town now has about $90,000 to put towards the project.
“So we still have a little bit to go,” she said, noting total costs are estimated to be over $100,000.
The town will take out a loan to cover the remaining costs so the project can commence. Profits from this year’s Irish Moss Festival will be applied against the loan.
The splash pad is expected to be ready for use by late summer.
With the walking track inside the perimeter fence, Gaudette said parents will be able to walk laps while their children enjoy the splash pad.
The Bicentennial Park was one of 11 projects Egmont MP Bobby Morrissey announced CIP 150 funding for Wednesday in Miminegash.
Total federal government funding for those projects is $382,774. They are the final projects to receive CIP funding in Morrissey’s riding.
Total funding for all CIP 150 projects approved in Egmont this year is $1,305,580. With the federal government covering roughly half of the project
costs, Morrissey said the projects generate about $2.6 million in upgrades.
He said he opted to spread out the funding across his riding rather than concentrate the money into a few large projects.
The projects, he said, are meant to leave a lasting legacy to Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations in the communities and facilities they support. The O’Leary Centennial Museum and Library Association was approved $15,100 to help stabilize Leard’s Grist Mill in Coleman.
Audrey Callaghan, chair of the Miminegash Community Council, said the $33,050 the community received will help with an expansion at the back of the community room and new accessible washrooms. Connie Bernard, a member of Alberton Town Council and one of the committee members working towards the establishment of a skate park there, was thrilled with the $26,962 the town received through CIP to develop the park and for a project at the fire hall. Bernard said the committee was hoping to raise $50,000. With the federal contribution, as well as numerous donations, the committee has actually exceeded its objective and will apply the extra money towards signage and security cameras.
“All of it helps. We wouldn’t be where we are today if we didn’t have our government behind us,” she said, including the municipal government in her acknowledgement. An existing asphalt pad in the town-owned Veterans Memorial Field complex will be resurfaced and expanded, and steel ramps and rails will be installed. Bernard said work will commence in early June and the skate park is scheduled to be ready by late July.
She anticipates an August grand opening.