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Irving Oil captures naming rights for Saint John field house

Long known as the Greater Saint John Field House, the Port City's new multi-sport facility has a new name.

It will go by the Irving Oil Field House from now on after the company scooped up the naming rights for the YMCA-operated centre.

Irving Oil contributed $2 million to the capital campaign for the $27-million structure, the largest field-house space in New Brunswick and one of the largest in Atlantic Canada.

The new name and sign were unveiled at a ceremony Monday outside the building in east Saint John.

Graham Thompson/CBC
Graham Thompson/CBC

"At Irving Oil, we see great value in new and innovative partnerships with organizations that share our company's goal of building strong, thriving communities," Irving Oil president Ian Whitcomb said in a release.

"We look forward to all the benefits the new facility will bring to our city, our province and the wider Atlantic Canadian region."

The 127,000-square-foot complex features two indoor turf fields, each measuring 60 metres by 30 metres, a 200-metre indoor track, a fitness centre and change rooms, a child-care centre and a Newcomer Connections service.

Most of the complex was opened Monday except for the track and field area, which is set to open in mid-October. The child-care centre opened Sept. 3.

"This is a monumental day for the field house project, and for our surrounding communities," said Bill MacMackin, president of the field house project committee.

"The Irving Oil Field House will deliver a world-class experience for members while leaving a lasting positive impact on all the young people the facility will support."