2011 CANADA GAMES—Legacy facility officially named

The $40-million facility being built on the Halifax Mainland Common has been officially named the Canada Games Centre.

The announcement was made on-site, today, May 4, by Jean-Paul Deveau, chair of the 2011 Canada Games board of directors, with representatives from federal, provincial and municipal governments, and the Canada Games Council. As a primary sport venue for the 2011 Canada Games, the centre will host badminton, artistic gymnastics and synchronized swimming.

"The Canada Games has a long history of infrastructure legacy in Canada," said Mr. Deveau.  "The 1969 Canada Summer Games left HRM such facilities as the Canada Games Diamond and Centennial pool. I'm so pleased that this state-of-the-art facility will be part of what the 2011 Games are remembered for."

The Canada Games Centre will have funding from all levels of government and the community. The federal government will contribute 30.6 per cent, the province will give 31.5 per cent, Halifax Regional Municipality will cover 33 per cent, and the community will contribute 4.9 per cent.

"The Canada Games Centre represents our commitment to help Nova Scotians lead healthier, more active lives. We hope the 2011 Canada Games will inspire more Nova Scotians to add more physical activity to their daily routines," said Duff Montgomerie, deputy minister of Health Promotion and Protection.

The Canada Games Centre will host a variety of future provincial, national and international competitions. It will include an indoor track, a training pool and separate leisure pool, multisport gymnasium courts, and a health, fitness and wellness centre. In addition, the centre will provide classroom space and meeting rooms. The building is also designed to meet or exceed a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver rating.

"The Canada Games Centre will become HRM's, indeed Nova Scotia's, premier multi-purpose sport, recreation and wellness facility. Generations of HRM residents will now have a state-of-the- art centre where they can participate in fitness activities and community events for years to come," said Mayor Peter Kelly.

"We are truly proud that this amazing facility will carry the Canada Games name," said Sue Hylland, president and CEO, Canada Games Council. "This venue will certainly showcase the standards set for the 2011 Canada Games in Halifax. Legacies are such a crucial part of the Games, whether it's the facilities left for the community or the sense of pride that grows in each resident as their hometown plays host to this first-class national event."

The centre will also be home to the Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic, which will attract, develop, and train high-performance, competitive athletes through a range of specialized services.

Construction is set to be completed by November 2010 and will be open to the public in March 2011, once the Games are over.

More information on the Games can be found at www.canadagames2011.ca.

For further
information on the Canada Games Centre, visit www.halifax.ca/canadagamescentre .

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Media Contact: Andrea Young
Halifax 2011 Canada Games
902-490-2332
E-mail: youngan@canadagames2011.ca