The federal government is investing $39.8 million for a new sports complex in Montréal-Nord, Industry Minister Melanie Joly announced Saturday. “This community has been asking for a sports centre, an aquatic centre, for a long, long time,” Joly said during a press conference at Arena Garon, the site of the new complex. It will feature a state-of-the-art swimming pool, a gymnasium, and many more facilities, according to the government - targeting a date in 2028 to open. Several community members involved in recreational sports were present for the announcement, and said the current facilities in the borough aren’t enough. “We have a lot of kids, a lot of demand, but not enough enough space,” explained Martin Panneton, a swimming coach. “There are waiting lists for class, swim class. So we would like to have more space for them.” The government said it’s an investment in the future generation, but the new complex will cater to all ages in Montréal-Nord. “It’s going to give us options where we can just offer all kinds of services to our seniors,” said Tony Colagiacomo, President of the Montreal North Senior Club. “The healthier our seniors are, the less visits there are to an emergency department, So this sports center will, it will take care of a lot of our needs.” The funding is part of the Build Communities Strong Fund - totaling $51 billion - outlined in the new federal budget. According to Joly, the investment in Montréal-Nord is an example of how the fund will be utilized in communities all over the country. “What we wanted to showcase was the fact that we were willing to invest in great projects. And the first one we decided to invest in is actually this one in Montreal North,” said Joly.
