Government of Canada Invests in Charleswood Senior Centre

January 15, 2010

Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Honourable Steven Fletcher, Member of Parliament for Charleswood – St. James – Assiniboia, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, today announced $150,000 in federal funding to strengthen economic opportunities in Winnipeg. Funding for the Charleswood Senior Center is being provided under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program, a major job
creating investment from Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

“Our Government’s investment in the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program is creating jobs for Canadians, while encouraging greater participation in physical education and the use of recreational facilities,” said Fletcher. “Today’s $150,000 Investment in the Charleswood
Senior Centre will help the government stimulate our local economy, enhance services and the lives of local.”

The Charleswood Senior Centre Garage Re-development Project will totally re-develop the attached garage at the Centre’s Municipal Building location. The project will provide approximately 2772 square feet of new multi-purpose space, with the potential to yield an additional 1110 square feet on the second level in the future. The large multi-purpose room will have a proper gym floor to house all of the Centre’s fitness programs, such as floor
curling, lawn bowling and dances, at one convenient location. As a result, the Centre will be able to double the numbers of those seniors attending fitness classes and will no longer have to turn people away because classes are full.

“The RInC grant has made it possible for the Centre to construct facilities badly needed for our ever-growing membership” said Charleswood Senior Centre President, Robert (Bob) Gordon. “The aging demographic in this part of Winnipeg has resulted in a 10% increase in membership this year, to 440 members. We are reaching the saturation point with our present facility. The space afforded by the new construction will allow us to add the increasing variety
of programs we require. It will also help us in catering to the needs of other community groups as Charleswood is somewhat short of easily accessible recreational facilities.”

Mr. Gordon added “Our thanks are expressed to the Honourable Steven Fletcher. Without his support we could not have accomplished our aim.”
The Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program will invest $500 million in recreational facilities across Canada over a two-year period. It will provide a temporary economic stimulus that will help reduce the impacts of the global recession while renewing, upgrading and expanding recreational infrastructure in Canadian communities. A total of almost $163 million in RInC funding will be invested across the four western provinces.
RInC is part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada’s multi-faceted stimulus plan that will ensure a quick recovery from the current economic downturn. Western Economic Diversification Canada is delivering the initiative in the four western provinces.

For information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, please visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.