London’s Kinsmen Recreation Centre will be receiving green infrastructure upgrades as part of a $2.1-million funding commitment announced Thursday by the city and the federal government.
The funds, about $2.1 million of which is coming from Ottawa’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, part of its broader climate plan, will see retrofits to the west London facility to lessen its energy consumption and make it more resilient to extreme heat and weather, officials said.
About $500,000 is coming from the city for the upgrades. Among the improvements will be the construction of a new central heat pump plant for reusing residual heat, electric charging infrastructure for mobility devices and an electric Zamboni, and new LED lighting.
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It’s estimated the improvements, which also include expanding the building’s existing automation system, will cut nearly in half the amount of energy the facility currently uses, saving 168 annual tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
“Not only will visitors and user groups benefit from new improvements to this building, but the project will allow the City to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, improve London’s resilience to the impacts of climate change and accelerate our path towards net-zero emissions,” said Josh Morgan, the city’s deputy mayor, in a statement.
London’s city council declared a climate emergency in 2019. This past April, councillors endorsed a Climate Emergency Action Plan with three main goals for the city, among them to achieve net-zero community greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
In a statement, London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, who attended an announcement outside of Kinsmen Recreation Centre on Thursday alongside Morgan and Councillor Steve Lehman, said making buildings greener was essential for building stronger communities and protecting the environment.
“This investment from our government will allow the Kinsmen Recreation Centre to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and save money on heating costs, ensuring that this cherished facility can continue to serve Londoners for years to come,” he said.
The Kinsmen facility, located along Granville Street in west London, was constructed in 2002 and contains two full-sized arena pads, three meeting rooms and a computer lab, according to the city.
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