Long-awaited Labrador Wellness Centre gets $1.5M in funding, work to begin this spring

The new Labrador Wellness Centre is one step closer to becoming a reality.

On Monday, Labrador MP Yvonne Jones announced an additional $1.5 million in funding for the new facility through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency's Innovative Community Fund.

"It's long overdue. I mean if you go and look at that training centre it probably should have been rebuilt 20 years ago," she said.

Jones said construction on the highly anticipated new facility is expected to start this spring.

"For the first time ever we've had a government in Newfoundland and Labrador and the government of Canada actually stepping up in Labrador to ensure that we have new modern facilities, not something we inherited from, you know, the U.S. air base, or a former Canadian base 50 years ago," she said.

Town still needs to contribute $5 million

Happy Valley-Goose Bay Mayor Wally Andersen said the additional funding means the town will now need to raise only $5 million for the project, instead of the $6.5 million it was previously on the hook for.

A capital contribution campaign is ongoing, and Nalcor has already donated $1 million to the project.

"It's starting to take root and they've kicked into full gear and things are going very well," said Andersen.

He said he doesn't expect taxes to increase.

Old facility in rough shape

The head coach of the Melville Mantas swim team, whose athletes have grown used to leaks coming from the ceiling above their pool, says the team is excited about the new facility.

"Bring on the money. Let's get this thing built," said Kerry Rideout.

The additional $1.5 million from ACOA will bring the federal government's contribution on the project to $9 million, which is in addition to $11.7 million from the province.

A contract to build the facility was awarded last November to Pomerleau Inc., at a value of $25.3 million.

Work is expected to be completed on the new wellness centre by the end of 2020.

It will be run by the YMCA.

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