The Ontario government is providing more than $1.5 million for further renovations at the Otonabee Memorial Community Centre in Keene, the region’s MPP announced Sunday.
At the Fourth Street facility, Northumberland-Peterborough South Progressive Conservative MPP David Piccini announced $1,577,122 for Phase 2 of the community centre’s renovations, which include an addition to the front of the building to allow for two new dress rooms and to expand the existing four dressing rooms and washrooms to meet accessibility standards.
There are also renovations planned for the first-floor lobby and the second-floor banquet hall (Gold Room) including new windows, ceiling and flooring. The funding is through the Strategic Priorities Infrastructure Fund — Sport and Community Renewal Stream.
The community centre opened in 1977 and currently houses an ice pad, two-sheet curling rink, small hall and the Gold Room community room. The announcement was held during Sunday’s “Awesome Township Celebration Day” event at the centre.
Piccini said Ontario’s funding, which is the largest ever for the village of Keene, will modernize and invigorate the centre.
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“This community centre needs and deserves an update,” Piccini said at the arena. “So I’m really pleased to say for our next generation, for our youth, for our oldtimers alike, we’re making the necessary investments into this community centre for generations to come.”
“Arenas are the glue that binds our communities, and a buzz of activity and I’m proud to be part of a government building stronger communities through supporting critical arena renovations,” he added.
“The OMCC is a hub of activity in the community and this infrastructure investment will ensure that it continues to serve the needs of the community and its residents, well into the future.”
Phase 2 is $2,151,600, with Otonabee-South Monaghan Township contributing $574,477 for the project (26.7 per cent) with the province’s contribution just over 73 per cent of the total cost.
Township Mayor Joe Taylor said it took several years to get the project finalized and said the renovations will make it “like a new building.” Phase 1 in 2018 saw a new ice surface and refrigeration equipment upgrades.
“To finally see it happen, it’s hard to express how satisfying it is,” Taylor told Global News after the media conference. “But it’s a big deal to the community. We are very pleased to be able to share the news with the community and we can’t wait to get the project started.”
Taylor said the Gold Room will get a “major face-lift.”
“I think it has the same decor as it did in the ’70s,” quipped Taylor. “It needs major updating.’
Taylor thanked the province for the investment, noting “status quo” for the next few decades was not an option for the community and its residents. Renovations are expected to begin “soon.”
“We had to decide how big we wanted to go and how much money we wanted to spend — we made those decisions and we will move ahead accordingly,” he said.
— More to come
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