Tim Brody
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
FEDERAL and pro-
vincial funding of
more than $3 mil-
lion will allow the com-
munity of Pickle Lake to
construct a community
multi-plex which will ben-
efi t residents of the com-
munity and the surround-
ing area.
The facility will amal-
gamate the court house,
town offi ce, community
Pickle Lake receives funding for community multi-plex
hall and library.
The modern, energy ef-
fi cient facility will be fully
accessible for the disabled
and is expected to cost
more than $5 million.
The joint federal and
provincial funding comes
under the Infrastructure
Stimulus Fund.
The announcement was
made September 24 by
Kenora MP Greg Rickford
and Minister of Northern
Development, Mines
and Forestry Michael
Gravelle.
“I’m pleased to see our
government acknowledge
this northern community
with funding for such
an important facility,”
Rickford said. “Thanks
to the strong relationship
between our two govern-
ments, we are working
together to help Northern
Ontario communities and
the economy thrive now
and in the future.”
“This is great news for
the residents of Pickle
Lake. Investments such
as these are important for
community growth and
economic development,”
Gravelle commented.
“Greg promised at our
NOMA meeting that he
would work hard for Pickle
Lake. We appreciate what
he has done to help make
this happen. Having lived
here he knows fi rsthand the
community and its needs.
This is a great announce-
ment. It puts Pickle Lake
on the map,” commented
Pickle Lake Mayor Mike
Shewan.
On September 21
Gravelle also shared good
news for Pickle Lake and
the north.
Gravelle announced that
the provincial government
has asked Hydro One to
immediately proceed with
planning and implement-
ing major transmission
projects across the prov-
ince, including Northern
Ontario.
Of special signifi cance
to Northwestern Ontario
is a core regional transmis-
sion line that will go be-
tween Nipigon and Pickle
Lake.
“I am pleased both per-
sonally and profession-
ally to see funding for this
new facility realized and
the hydro upgrades that
will be coming. These an-
nouncements combined
put Pickle Lake on the
map and on the move,”
concluded Rickford.