CORNWALL Coun. Irene Dawson summed it up succinctly at the grand opening of the Cornwall Civic Centre on Thursday.
"I'm quite proud of this place,'' Dawson said after she walked through the front door.
The provincial and federal governments teamed up with the Town of Cornwall to spend $666,000 each on the new structure. When all is said and done, however, the town will spend close to $900,000 on the Civic Centre, bringing the total price tag to about $2.3 million.
The entire building is brand new.
The only memory left over from the old Civic Centre is the curling rink and even it got a makeover. The viewing area is brighter and completely wide open with much more room to view action on the ice, a good thing considering the P.E.I. Tankard men's curling championships is underway.
Deputy Mayor Corey Frizzell said he took special pride in the new look.
"My grandfather had a hand in building this place in the late 1960s,'' Frizzell said, referring to the original structure. "My mom used to come to some of the dances. It's an icon in Cornwall.''
New features include a lift to make the building more accessible and additional space to serve the adjacent outdoor pool and the curling club. The new facility will serve the Cornwall and Area 50-Plus Club, the Lions Club and will also house community indoor recreation programming.
Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey said buildings like the Civic Centre that serve as the lifeline of the community.
"The Civic Centre is not only enjoyed by curlers and swimmers, but it is also an important location for community events and celebrations,'' Vessey said.
Egmont MP Gail Shea joked that her best athletic accomplishment occurred in the old Civic Centre.
"I threw my best-ever curling shot in this place,'' Shea laughed. "People thought I could curl.''
Area MLA Ron MacKinley said the tireless support of volunteers can't be overstated.
"It's because of people that volunteer that things get done,'' MacKinley said.
Cornwall Mayor Glen 'Barney' Fullerton agreed.
"The co-operation demonstrated by all levels of government, along with the support and patience of the user groups in moving this project along is a testament to the commitment of all involved,'' Fullerton said.
The curling club also recently underwent an upgrade, including repairs to the roof and an overhaul of the ice plant. Money to pay for that came out of the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program.
