Grand falls civic centre celebrates official opening

October 17, 2009

Left to right are: Yvan Cournoyer, retired Montreal Canadiens player; Premier Shawn Graham; Marcel Deschênes, Mayor of Grand-Sault; Ronald Ouellette, Minister of'Agriculture and Aquaculture and MLA for Grand Falls, Drummond and Saint-André; Mike Allen, Member of Parliament for Tobique-Mactaquac; and Dr. Paul Castonguay, Chairman of the Building Committee for the E. & P. Sénéchal Centre.


GRAND FALLS (NB) - Federal, provincial and municipal officials joined residents of Grand Falls today to celebrate the official opening of the E. & P. Sénéchal Centre, a modern and environmentally conscious designed facility that will contribute to the region's economic, tourism, cultural, social and athletic development.

“The Government of Canada is committed to supporting projects that strengthen infrastructure and advance long-term economic opportunities in New Brunswick’s Northwest communities,” said Mike Allen, MP for Tobique-Mactaquac, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency). “Our investment of $4.5 million is supporting existing community and business requirements in Grand Falls, Drummond and St. André and it improves the region’s ability to attract larger-scale events in the future.”

“The Province of New Brunswick is proud to be an important partner in today's celebration,” said Premier Shawn Graham. “Our investment in this facility will provide services for our youth and all community groups, improve the quality of their lives, and help us on our journey toward self-sufficiency.”

“The E. & P. Sénéchal Centre is already an invaluable addition to our community” said Marcel Deschênes, Mayor of Grand Falls. “The members of the Grand Falls Town Council join me in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to the hundreds of people who have collaborated to make this great day a reality.”

The E. & P. Sénéchal Centre features seating for up to 1,200 spectators, a rink surface, a walking trail and physical fitness facilities as well as rooms equipped with the required technology for business meetings and conferences.

The Government of Canada invested $4.5 million in the project through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund and the Province of New Brunswick contributed over $4.9 million. The Town of Grand Falls provided $1.5 million while the community raised an additional $3.8 million to bring the project to fruition.