N.B. government spending $6M on community complex in Rothesay

Rothesay, N.B., is getting a new community centre with an ice surface.

The New Brunswick government is spending $6 million to build an intergenerational community complex in Rothesay.

The complex will incorporate the Rothesay Arena, which is currently undergoing renovations, and will include a walking track, according to a news release from the province.

“This project will provide a modern, inclusive facility that offers opportunities for recreation, physical activity and connection,” said Premier Susan Holt in the release. “By investing in community infrastructure like this, we are strengthening communities and supporting a healthier, more active future for everyone.”

Holt said the provincial government’s contribution brings the project to $26 million out of its $36-million goal.

“This is something that is going to help our communities be healthier. It’s going to build cohesion with society because we are going to be bringing old and young together.”

Alyson Townsend, MLA for Rothesay, said the complex will be a centrepiece for the community.

“From day one we have been working diligently to make this project a reality, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this key investment in the town of Rothesay and our region as a whole,” Townsend said.

The complex will also offer space for Rothesay HIVE, a hub for adults age 50 and older.

“With the new HIVE, it’s going to be three times the space, so we’ll have three times of any programs that we can do and it’ll be intergenerational, which is key because we want to connect the generations,” said Diane O’Connor, who oversees HIVE.

Rothesay Mayor Nancy Grant said the final design phases should wrap up this March and they aim to break ground in April with the goal of opening the doors at the complex sometime in 2028.

-With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Avery MacRae

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