Vale presented the City of Thompson with $1.5 million Sept. 9 to go towards the third and final phase of transforming the old Thompson recreation centre into the new Thompson Regional Community Centre.
"I'm thrilled to announce that we are extending our additional support to another $1.5 million," Steve Wood, Vale's vice-president of smelting and refining for Canada and U.K. operations, told the crowd packed into the lobby of the recreation centre. "We hope the centre will become everything you dream it will be."
The third phase is the final step of a $25 million project that began in 2004. The first two phases, which are now complete, included retrofitting the Gordon Beard and C.A. Nesbitt arenas, constructing two new dressing rooms and completing internal infrastructure. Vale contributed $1.5 million to the first two phases.
"We're going to build it so people will walk through the door and be proud of it," said Mayor Tim Johnston, who presented Wood and Lovro Paulic, the general manager of smelting and refining for Vale's Manitoba operations, with TRCC hockey jerseys acknowledging Vale as a community partner in the project. "Today's announcement, I hope, will give this community the confidence that we're going in the right direction."
The final phase will include a large multi-sport playing field, arts and cultural programming space, a fitness area, a boardwalk, food services and administration offfices. The project will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for energy consumption.
Vale's support will help Thompson's city council achieve what they set out to do earlier by opting for a $12 million project rather than a smaller $9 million option despite not knowing exactly where the extra money would come from. Johnston said a survey of the public found overwhelming support for the $12 million option.
"Council agreed with the community and said that's the project we need to move forward," said Johnston.
The announcement was one of the last official duties of departing City of Thompson recreation director Bruce Krentz, who resigned for a position with the Burntwood Regional Health Authority that started Sept. 13. He said it was a pleasure to be able to go out with a bang, joking that he has had the privilege to follow Johnston around as he makes good news announcements.
"This is pretty much the biggest and the best one we've had the chance to do," said Krentz.
"We have worked hard to make sure this community will be sustainable for many years to come," said the mayor, a job made easier by Vale's support.
Akman Construction has been hired as the construction manager and building is scheduled to get underway in the spring of 2011 and be completed by the fall of 2012.
When its done, says Johnston, Thompson will have something unique.
"We will have a community recreation centre adjoining a college university," he said.
Churchill MP Niki Ashton was also on hand for the announcement, thanking Vale for the part they play in helping to keep young people in Thompson.
"Thank you and let's keep looking ahead," said Ashton.
