That is why governments are taking decisive action to support families, businesses and rural communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done.
Today, the Honourable Geoff Regan, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Suzanne Lohnes-Croft, Nova Scotia Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage; His Worship, Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality; Jennifer Bishop, Chair of the Board of Directors, Tennis Canada; and Jack Graham, Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors, Atlantic Tennis Centre, announced support for the new Atlantic Tennis Centre during its grand opening event in Bedford, Nova Scotia.
The new state-of-the-art facility boasts 18 courts-six outdoor, including two clay courts, and 12 indoor-to accommodate for year-round play. The facility also includes changing rooms, modern strength and conditioning rooms, a pickleball and mini-tennis courts for adults and children. Space has also been provided for Tennis Canada and Tennis Nova Scotia offices.
As the largest regional training facility east of Montreal, Nova Scotia residents and visitors will benefit from access to a wide range of tennis programs lead by Tennis Canada coaches, allowing members to play and compete at the highest level without needing to leave the Maritimes. The facility is also equipped to host tournaments of all levels, meeting the increased need for recreational infrastructure that can host major sporting events while contributing to the regional economy.
The government of Canada contributed over $3.1 million to this project through the National and Regional Projects component of the New Building Canada Fund. The governments of Nova Scotia and the Halifax Regional Municipality provided $2.5 million each. Tennis Canada has contributed $500,000. The remainder of project funding came from fundraising and private donors.
Quotes
"This is an exciting day for Nova Scotia tennis lovers. The grand opening of the Atlantic Tennis Centre means people from all over the province will have an opportunity to learn and play tennis, regardless of their ability or background. The Government of Canada is proud to have contributed to the development of this state-of-the-art facility, providing residents with more options to stay fit and connect with their community all year-round, while also contributing to the region's economic development. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."
Geoff Regan, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
"Sport and recreation contribute greatly to our province's social and cultural identity, and active living provides important physical and social benefits. As a government, one of our priorities is to ensure that all Nova Scotians have opportunities to be active and improve their health. Facilities like the Atlantic Tennis Centre play an important role in helping achieve those goals."
The Honourable Suzanne Lohnes-Croft, Nova Scotia Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage
"The Atlantic Tennis Centre is an important part of Tennis Canada's mission to lead the growth of tennis across the country. Support for regional centres and local talent is critical to the development of players at all levels, and particularly to our next generation of tennis champions. Nova Scotia has moved Canada one step closer to becoming a world-leading tennis nation. It's great to see our financial contribution coming to life for the benefit of east coast tennis."
Jennifer Bishop, Chair of the Board, Tennis Canada
"The vision for the Atlantic Tennis Centre is to create a centre of excellence for the region that will make tennis more accessible and affordable for people from all backgrounds and all ability levels. We will accomplish this by aligning all the financial and human resources of Tennis Canada, Tennis Nova Scotia and the ATC."
Jack Graham, Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors, Atlantic Tennis Centre
Quick facts
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Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
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$25.3 billion of this funding is supporting social infrastructure in Canadian communities.
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The Government of Canada has invested over $818.9 million in 196 infrastructure projects across Nova Scotia under the Investing in Canada plan.
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To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.
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The COVID-19 Resilience Stream will help other orders of governments whose finances have been significantly impacted by the pandemic by increasing the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects.
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The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will provide up to $31 million in existing federal funding to support communities as they deploy innovative new ways to adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 over the next two years.
