Province providing millions of dollars for infrastructure programs around BC

Photo: File photo

Money from the province will mean the Centennial Outdoor Rink will be open this coming winter.

The province is providing some cash to fix up Vernon facilities.

Funding for new chillers and compressors in the refrigeration plant for the Centennial Outdoor Rink – which was shut down last year due to chiller problems – Priest Valley Arena and the curling rink.

The province will provide $695,000 for the project out of the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program, a $100-million provincially funded umbrella program, which is providing a one-time infrastructure funding grants to communities province wide.

The grants will support economic resilience, tourism, heritage and urban and rural economic development projects.

According to a provincial website, shovel-worthy projects are being funded through five streams: Community Economic Resilience; Destination Development, Rural Economic Recovery, Unique Heritage Infrastructure and the Aboriginal Head Start program. Through the CERIP’s Community Economic Resilience stream, the Province is investing $30 million to fund 63 small-scale public-use infrastructure projects throughout B.C.

The Lake Country Art Gallery Society will receive $40,000 to provide functional facility upgrades to the art gallery.

West Kelowna will get $442,000 to replace a 21-year-old ammonia chiller in the ice-making plant at Jim Lind Arena and Royal LePage Place.

Revelstoke will see an infusion of $947,039 to provide phase one of the Revelstoke Valley rail, while Sicamous will get $447,000 to replace the public washroom at Beach Park.

Penticton and Nelson will each receive $1 million for projects in those communities.

For the full list of communities receiving grants, click here.