Green infrastructure improvements to Princeton's arena

TOWN OF PRINCETON, BC, July 25, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, announced $821,460 in funding for the revitalization of the arena in the Town of Princeton.

"Princeton's arena has hosted a variety of local sports events for nearly half a century. For many residents, as is the case in so many communities across Canada, life revolves around the arena. This revitalization project will improve users' comfort while reducing heating and maintenance costs, creating savings for the municipality and encouraging even more residents to take advantage of these facilities," said the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.

"This arena has long been the vibrant site of community gatherings, events, and recreation activities in Princeton. Green investments in the arena will modernize the facility, enable recovery costs to be rerouted into other community projects, and bring eco-friendly, energy-efficient benefits to the community that exemplify one more way in which Princeton residents can feel pride in joining the clean economy," said Mayor Spencer Coyne.

Funding will support retrofits to the facility to help make it more energy efficient. These improvements will revitalize an aging arena in Princeton as well as support continued access to recreation services for community members. Improvements will include insulation upgrades, electric ice edging technology, upgrading the roof, and adding solar panels. Once complete, the retrofits will serve to reduce the facility's energy consumption by an estimated 38.7% and greenhouse gas emissions by 37.4 tonnes annually. The revitalized arena will be more environmentally friendly, with reduced costs for heating, and be more climate resilient.

Built in 1974, the arena is a place where residents and visitors gather and includes an ice rink, six public dressing rooms, seating for 500 people, a multi-use mezzanine, public restrooms, and a viewing area that provides year-round programming for hockey, lacrosse, highland dance, and karate. The arena is also used for community gatherings such as trade shows, wedding receptions and funeral services. It is a vital asset for the Princeton community, providing a space for people to socialize and stay active.

• The Government of Canada is investing $821,460 through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program.
• The GICB program is an integral part of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan, providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessibility retrofits, repairs or upgrades of existing public community buildings and the construction of new publicly-accessible community buildings that serve high-needs, underserved communities across Canada.
• The project announced today is funded through GICB's continuous intake for small and medium retrofit projects ranging in total eligible cost from $100,000 to $3 million.
• At least 10 percent of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.
• Provincial/territorial governments, municipal or regional governments, public sector bodies, not-for-profit, and Indigenous organizations interested in the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program are invited to apply on the Infrastructure Canada website.
• Applicants with large retrofit projects to existing community buildings or new community building projects with total eligible costs ranging from $3 million to $25 million were accepted through a competitive intake process which closed on July 6, 2021. A second intake is anticipated later in 2022, however, the date has not yet been determined. Details about the second intake will be published to the Infrastructure Canada ? Green and Inclusive Community Buildings' website as soon as they become available.
• Applicants with small and medium retrofit projects to existing community buildings ranging in total eligible cost from $100,000 to $2,999,999 will be accepted and funded on a rolling intake basis.
• Announced in December 2020, Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan includes 64 new measures and $15 billion in investments towards a healthy environment and economy.

Green and Inclusive Community Buildings:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gicb-bcvi/index-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html

Strengthened Climate Plan:
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada