LUCAN, ON - Bev Shipley, Member of Parliament for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex; Maria Van Bommel, Member of Provincial Parliament for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex; and Tom McLaughlin, Mayor of the Township of Lucan Biddulph, celebrated today the completion of the Elm Street Optimist Park Splash Pad and four other local infrastructure projects.

The governments of Canada and Ontario have each committed up to $952,504 to the projects, with $760,171 through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund and $192,333 through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program in Ontario and the Ontario Recreation Program. The Township of Lucan Biddulph contributed the balance of the total project costs of $2,857,512.

The community infrastructure projects that have been completed include the construction of a splash pad for Elm Street Optimist Park; rehabilitation of the Lucan Community Memorial Centre; upgrades to Lucan Community Memorial Centre’s recreational areas; the replacement of the George Street water main; and the reconstruction of Saintsbury Line. For additional details on these five projects, please refer to the backgrounder.

“These exciting projects ensure our community has access to modern recreational facilities now and for the future,” said MP Shipley. “As part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our government is creating jobs and supporting local initiatives that make our communities better places to live, work and play.”

“The projects we are celebrating today support our government’s Open Ontario plan to stimulate the economy and create new opportunities for jobs and growth,” said MPP Van Bommel. “In Lucan Biddulph Open Ontario is supporting local trades and businesses while promoting a stronger, healthier community.”

“The recently constructed Splash Pad in our Elm Street Park, is a significant addition to our recreation facilities,” said Mayor McLaughlin. “With our municipality experiencing strong residential growth, the splash pad will be enjoyed and appreciated by our residents for years to come. This project, along with several others, such as new roads, sidewalks and upgrades at our community center are great examples of co-operation between the Federal, Provincial, and Municipal governments. This partnership is essential to maintaining and enhancing our community’s infrastructure.”

A portion of the Government of Canada’s contribution is being provided through the $4 billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, a key component of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which invests in infrastructure projects across Canada to stimulate economic activity and create jobs.

The Province of Ontario’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund contribution comes from its 2009 provincial budget that is supporting more than 300,000 jobs and strengthening Ontario’s economy.

More than 760 projects across the province are supported through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program in Ontario and the Ontario Recreation Program, representing a joint federal-provincial investment of more than $380 million. The governments of Canada and Ontario teamed up to support Ontario's communities and create jobs by improving recreational infrastructure, as these types of projects also encourage higher levels of participation in physical activity and community building. For more information on this initiative, please visit www.rinc-on.ca .