LaSalle Vollmer Complex receives upgrades after grant funding

Government officials, including municpal officials from the Town of LaSalle, Ont. and Essex MPP Anthony Leardi gather at the Vollmer Complex on September 24, 2022. (Rich Garton/CTV News Windsor)

Government officials gathered together on Saturday to celebrate upgrades to LaSalle’s Vollmer Complex, thanks to a grant worth nearly $400,000.

According to a press release from the Town of LaSalle, municipal officials and Anthony Leardi, MPP for Essex, met at the Vollmer Complex on Saturday to celebrate the work being done on the facility.

The work was made possible by a $398,200 Community Building Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation received in 2021.

Because of the grant, repair work has already been done on the ice rink refrigeration system, 12 aging rooftop HVAC units and repairs to part of the Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex roof.

“Sports are vital to a community. Having a safe, up-to-date facility where our young people can play sports is important, and I am very pleased to see these improvements being made to LaSalle's Vollmer Complex,” said Leardi in a statement.

The project is currently underway and will extend the life of LaSalle’s recreational facility.

The Vollmer Complex opened in 2008 and is LaSalle’s only recreational facility, offering “numerous activities, programs, and services to thousands of patrons annually.” Some of these offerings include hockey, figure skating, aquatics and is also the site for multiple tournaments each year.

“The receipt of this grant is important to our community,” said LaSalle Mayor Marc Bondy. “This complex is a community hub that brings people together strengthening social bonds and civic pride. We sincerely thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their support of the Town of LaSalle.”

In addition, the facility serves as the town’s evacuation site in the event of an emergency.

The Ontario Trillium Fund has invested $209 million into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, according to the release.