(Posted 3 p.m., Feb. 21)
City gets federal money to improve accessibility to arena, local parks
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

The federal government and the City of Ottawa have teamed up to provide $1.1 million to make the Earl Armstrong Arena and three local parks more accessible to east end residents.

At least $428,000 of the funds will be used to retrofit washrooms and change rooms at the Earl Armstrong Arena, replace doors and install power door mechanisms, modify the existing elevator which provides wheelchair access to the Gloucester Senior Adults Club on the second floor and modify halls and stairs as required.

Approximately $400,000 will used to cover the cost to install accessible play structures at the Queenswood Ridge Park in Queenswood Heights as well as replace the existing play surface with engineered wood fibre and a rubberized surface; design, supply and install an accessible spray pad to replace the existing one; and build barrier free asphalt walkways.

Another $271,000 will be spent on improvements to Louis Perrault Park on Beausejour Drive and Marcel Bériault Park on Sunview Drive in Orléans, both of which will also get an accessibly play structure, a new wood fibre play surface, and asphalt walkways.

The announcement was made at the Earl Armstrong Arena earlier this morning by Ottawa-Orleans MP Royal Galipeau who was joined by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and east end councillors Bob Monette, Rainer Bloess an Tim Tierney.

Local city councillors Rainer Bloess, Bob Monette and Tim Tierney joined Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Ottawa-Orléans MP Royal Galipeau in making a joint funding announcement today, allocating $1.1 million to improve accessibility to the Earl Armstrong Arena and three east end parks. Fred Sherwin/Photo

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