Funding announced for Riverview Recreation Complex

A new recreation complex for Riverview is now a step closer to reality.

More than $39.9 million dollars in municipal, provincial and federal money was announced today.

Mayor Andrew Leblanc says the complex will be accessible and will offer a combination of active recreation zones and gathering spaces for community activities, special events and cultural celebrations. It will feature an eight-lane, 25-metre pool and a separate leisure pool, a 200-metre padded walking track, a field house, and multi-purpose spaces.

The hope is to begin construction in October this year,  with a proposed completion date in early 2026.

“We met with a lot of user groups to talk about, what are some of the things that they’d like to see in the complex. There’s always going to be a lengthy wish list, and then we really looked at what the actual needs are. We did a regional analysis as well to make sure that our facility is going to be complementary to the other assets that are in the region. Our existing Aquatic Center is nearing the end of life and so it has to be replaced anyway. We’re hoping that an expanded aquatic center like this is really going to be a catalyst for growth.   I think it’s around 40 percent if not more of the users of our current pool come from outside of the town of revenue, so we know the Recreation Complex is going to be widely used by folks not currently in the Town of Riverview, so we wanted to make sure that we had a regional lens on the project as well,” Leblanc says.

The provincial government is investing $6 million while the federal government is providing $19,980,000 and the Town of Riverview is contributing $13,980,050.

Mayor Andrew Leblanc says this is great news for current and future residents, “We’re in an area of town that is growing quickly. We are hoping that as we build in a facility like this, it will attract sports tournaments and events and we’re hoping that will support commercial growth and residential growth as well.”

Designs are still being finalized, but Leblanc says they will be incorporating the potential for expansion if needed down the road.  The Mayor says they have been working towards this for a long time, and it’s really good to finally see this project getting closer to the finish line.

Riverview MLA Bruce Fitch has a long history in the community and has been watching this project come together since the beginning, “When you see federal, provincial, municipal and the business community and residents coming together to make this happen. It’s a really, really good project and it’s going to benefit Riverview and the Citizens for a long time.”

MP for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe Ginette Petitpas Taylor says,“After speaking with people in the community on various occasions, I know residents of Riverview have been waiting for this project to come to life for a long time now. I am glad to see that we are finally at the finish line. The new Riverview Recreation Complex will be perfectly positioned to attract young families and create a sense of togetherness. I am very proud of the Government of Canada’s support for this large, fully-accessible complex that will yield long-term community benefits.”