The Centre for Active Living and Peace Arch Curling Centre received its grand opening Friday, June 24 as some 200 community movers and shakers gathered for cake and speeches in the lounge of the newly completed facility in Centennial Park.
Present were representatives of all project partners, including the federal and provincial governments, the City of White Rock, Fraser Health, the Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation, the White Rock South Surrey Community Foundation and the Peace Arch Curling Centre.
The Rotary Club of White Rock and the RBC Foundation – also major donors – were recognized.
The $6.6-million combined expansion of the Mel Edwards Centre (a cardiac rehabilitation facility) and the Peace Arch Curling Centre is designed to provide a supportive environment for maintaining good health.
Following singing of the national anthem by Miriah Reitmeier and the Coast Salish anthem by Joanne Charles, and greetings from Semiahmoo First Nation by Chief Willard Cook, city manager Peggy Clark, as master of ceremonies, welcomed MLAs Stephanie Cadieux (Surrey-Panorama) and Gordon Hogg (Surrey-White Rock) and White Rock Mayor Catherine Ferguson and council members Mary-Wade Anderson, Helen Fathers, Lynne Sinclair, Grant Meyer and Al Campbell.
Unable to attend in person was South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale MP Russ Hiebert, still in Ottawa for the vote on back-to-work legislation to end the postal dispute.
In his remarks, delivered by communications assistant Pauline Stewart, Hiebert expressed appreciation for the initiative shown by the partners in the project, and particularly for the “vision and leadership” of Hogg in helping make the project a reality.
The federal and provincial governments each contributed $1.8 million to the project, through Building Canada Fund and Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund grants.
The facility includes the curling rink and viewing area, a cafe and pro shop and office space for the White Rock and South Surrey division of the Family Practice Society, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. and the White Rock South Surrey Stroke Recovery Club.
Also included is the curling rink lounge, two fitness rooms for programs conducted by White Rock Leisure Services and Fraser Health, plus two cardio gyms.