Township awarded $117k in grants for washrooms, tennis courts

BARRY’S BAY – There will be new, flushable washrooms and new tennis courts at the Lakeshore Drive after the Township of Madawaska Valley received thousands of dollars in grants.

At the regular August 17 council meeting, Councillor Carl Bromwich announced that the township has received $117,000 worth of federal and provincial money for various projects.

“This is good news,” Bromwich explained. “Our staff has worked very, very hard for a long period of time and this is the fruits of our labour.”

He announced that $50,000 has been granted for the replacement of the two tennis courts at Lakeshore Park. Also, $9,000 has been provided for renovations to the Madawaska Valley Public Library from the Canada 150 Infrastructure Program.

The Ontario Senior Secretariat has granted $8,000 for the purposes of expanding recreation options for seniors in partnership with the Opeongo Seniors Centre.

Bromwich said a $50,000 Enabling Accessibilities in Communities, Small Projects grant has been received for the construction of new accessible, flushable washrooms and change rooms for Lakeshore Park. The grant stipulates that the washrooms will be constructed by August 2016.

In previous designs, the washrooms would be added on to the Lakeshore Tennis Club building. But Councillor Shelley Maika warned against that at the latest council meeting citing safety concerns.

Bromwich admitted it was a work in progress, and that they would likely be placed near the playground but closer to the wastewater plant. 

Get your August 19, 2015 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.