Parliament Hill rink finds new home in Gananoque, Ont.

The Canada 150 rink will have a new home, just in time for winter, in Gananoque, Ont.

The decision to relocate the former Parliament Hill skating rink to Gananoque was partly a symbolic gesture, sources close to the file told CBC News, as the town sits in the late Gord Brown's riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

The Conservative MP died May 2 after suffering a heart attack in his Parliament Hill office.

"It's fantastic to have an outdoor rink to keep running all winter," said Gananoque Mayor Erika Demchuk, who heard the news from CBC but had not yet been informed about the decision by Canadian Heritage.

She said while the exact spot for the rink still has to be determined, the town plans to put it near the local arena.

"We can use the same Zamboni," she said.

The town also hopes to name the rink after Brown, Demchuk said.

"He was a integral part of the community," she said. "His passing hit everyone really hard."

Pricetag controversy

Canadian Heritage has been trying to find a new location for the rink, which officially opened on the grounds of Parliament Hill last December.

The rink drew considerable controversy over its initial $5.6-million price tag for a three-week run. The cost then jumped by $2.5 million when the rink's run was extended until Feb. 25.

Over two-and-a-half months in operation, around 150,000 skaters used the rink.

A formal announcement about the rink's new location is expected in the coming days.

With files from Frédéric Pepin and the Canadian Press