A first in Canada, the Sport for Life Centre offers the best in sport in one central downtown Winnipeg location offering new opportunities for our city and our province. The Centre will house sport expertise, training space and tools, exercise and sport facilities, therapeutic space, research facilities and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Programming will focus on training coaches, athletes and volunteers, developing leaders, helping kids join the right team, revitalizing downtown Winnipeg, bringing sport heroes to life and building healthier communities.
Phase 2 of the Sport for Life Centre is a $23 million dollar project. Sport Manitoba’s corporate and community fundraising initiatives have raised $7.2 million of an $8 million goal. The balance of the project is being funded through government support and capital funding earmarked for the facility as the legacy project of the 2017 Canada Summer Games.
"The broad impacts of sport on our lives was shown through the variety of contributions we received, from larger corporate or individual donors recognizing the value sport has brought to their lives to community sport clubs and sport leaders to grass-root parents, grandparents, coaches and officials" said campaign co-chair Paul Robson. "We are very thankful for every contribution; collectively they will make a significant difference for the health of Manitoba kids and sport development in our province."
”On behalf of the Trustees of the Richardson Foundation, we are extremely proud to partner with Sport Manitoba on a project of this magnitude”, stated Hartley Richardson, President & Chief Executive Officer of James Richardson & Sons, Limited and a Trustee of the Richardson Foundation. “We extend our thanks to the community for believing in the vision of establishing this world-class facility in Winnipeg”.
"It’s exciting to see this project so close to becoming a reality. We continue to do our best to provide the level of service needed to our sports, community athletes and for our downtown neighbours, but are severely restricted by our existing space" explained Jeff Hnatiuk, President & CEO for Sport Manitoba. "The success of our community campaign and support from the Richardson Foundation has us very hopeful that we can complete our fundraising and begin construction in early 2015 and be completed by the summer of 2016."
Sport Manitoba is a not for profit organization and the lead planning, programming and funding agency for the development of amateur sport in Manitoba. Located in the Sport for Life Centre, Sport Manitoba partners with over 100 organizations to deliver sport in our province and is responsible for programs including the Power Smart Manitoba Games, Coaching Manitoba, Team Manitoba, Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, and KidSport. Services provided include the Sport Medicine Centre, Sport Performance Centre, and Sport Resource Centre.
The Richardson Foundation helps Canadian charitable organizations achieve their goals by providing meaningful funding that will enrich the lives of the people in the communities served by James Richardson & Sons, Limited and its affiliated companies: Richardson International, Tundra Oil & Gas Limited, Richardson Financial Group and Richardson Centre Limited. Focused on the visual and performing arts, youth initiatives, education and environmental issues, the Foundation further provides special support to the United Way.
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For more information:
www.sportforlifecentre.ca
Tara Skibo
Communications/Public Relations Officer
Sport Manitoba
w. 204-925-5735
c. 204-781-1438
tara.skibo@sportmanitoba.ca