The federal government dove into the fundraising efforts to build a therapeutic pool in Azilda with a $1-million injection.
Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré announced the funds on April 25 at the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre, where the pool will be built once all of the money has been secured.
The federal funding brings the total so far to about $2.4 million. The group has already raised more than $100,000 — they are tasked with raising $300,000 of the $4.7-million total.
The City of Greater Sudbury has committed $1 million to the project, which will be made available once all the other funds are in place, as well as $300,000 for an architectural drawing.
All of the funds committed to the pool will be held in trust until construction starts. Charitable receipts will be given at that time, too.
Having those commitments from the federal and municipal governments will go a long way in leveraging more money from the community, said former city councillor Evelyn Dutrisac, who has been spearheading the therapeutic pool project since 2006.
“We might not be digging earth today, but you can be assured the fundraising team will continue to give it all they've got,” Dutrisac said. “I'm seeing this project become a reality. This project will happen with the support of the community. We need our older adults, our schools and our businesses to get behind this.”
Dutrisac said one of her missions is to find a person or a group to donate $1 million to the project. That will earn them the right to name the pool.
“I've got three or four prospects already,” she said.
Ward 4 Coun. Geoff McCausland said it would be ideal to have a community partner step forward and take on that serious commitment.
“That would be a huge step forward,” he said.
The group has also applied for funding through Canadian Tire's Jump Start program.
“We're very hopeful we'll be able to work with all of our partners in the community, and we will be doing a lot of great fundraising over the next few months,” he said. “This $1-million announcement is really the catalyst to really give us the momentum to get to the finish line.”
Dutrisac said her goal is to start construction next year, with a completion date some time in 2021.
The plan is to build the new therapy and leisure pool on the northeast side of the building, and to integrate it into the gym and exercise room. It will be used by families, older adults and others with limited mobility for physical therapy and rehabilitation in warm water. The leisure pool will be used for swimming lessons and leisure activities.
It will be open to people of all ages, and will be Greater Sudbury's first public therapeutic pool. No doctor's referral will be needed to use it, and will help the city's efforts in being age-friendly, Dutrisac said.
The federal funding is being made available through the Enabling Accessibility Fund.
More information is available at greatersudbury.ca/therapeuticpool. Residents are invited to phone Dutrisac at 705-665-6216 or 705-590-2297.
