It was a great day for the residents of Yarmouth County, West Nova MP Greg Kerr announced an investment of $375,578.00 in the Yarmouth YMCA.
The investment represents about 1/3 of the dollars required to do some needed repairs and maintenance on the building. YMCA Executive Director Barrie McGregor said, "The Yarmouth YMCA is a long-standing institution in this community and I'm pleased that the Government of Canada, through ACOA, is able to help fund these extensive renovations so that its facilities can be enjoyed for many years to come."
Upgrades include refurbishing the youth change rooms (I have two boys in the swim program and can say the change rooms are well beyond their expiry date!), replacing existing lighting, completing electrical and mechanical improvements, replacing the roof and windows and a variety of internal repairs.
The local municipalities, who help in the operation of the area's only pool, will also be helping in the community's 2/3 contribution. The glaring omission is the lack of funding from the Provincial Government. Usually this kind of project is supported in a 1/3 1/3 1/3 funding arrangement, but after tons of meetings and proposals, the Province did not want to help the project in Yarmouth like they did in other communities recently and stuck the area in finding 2/3 on their own.
Thank goodness that we have strong federal and municipal representation on this project, looks like once again the NDP forgot that there is a Nova Scotia beyond an hour's drive from HRM.