$45m to expand St. John's Convention Centre

More than $45 million will be spent to upgrade the St. John’s Convention Centre, according to government officials in St. John's Wednesday.

The expansion of the centre, with $15 million from the federal government, $15 million from the provincial government and $15 million from the City of St. John’s, will nearly double the amount of space that is available for events there.

Premier Kathy Dunderdale, Peter Penashue, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador, announced the convention centre funding on Wednesday, August 31.

Speaking in St. John's, they said the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will spend more than $63 million on the Colonial Building in St. John’s, the St. John’s Convention Centre, and the redevelopment of a former industrial site in Paradise.  

"We look forward to once again using the chamber [in the Colonial Building], the original house of assembly, for re-enactments of some of the historic debates that occurred there. Student Parliaments, special sittings of the house of assembly, and so much more," said Dunderdale.

The Colonial Building restoration is scheduled to be completed in 2014.

Meanwhile, the provincial government also announced Wednesday that another $50 million will be spent on recreation centres in Marystown, Harbour Grace, Paradise and Conception Bay South.

Paradise has been lobbying hard for an arena as the number of teens and children in the area grows.

The new funding means the CBS and Harbour Grace areas will both have second arenas.

The  Marystown area is also slated to see its recreational facilities improve.