$30M expansion for Mariners Centre will boost Yarmouth area, says town's mayor

Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood is confident that a planned expansion of Mariners Centre will be a boost for the health of the residents of southwestern Nova Scotia, and provide economic benefits as well.

On Friday, the provincial government announced it was contributing the final $4 million toward the $30-million cost of expanding the centre.

The federal government had already committed $15.9 million to the project with the municipalities of Argyle and Yarmouth and the Town of Yarmouth contributing $10 million jointly.

"It's all about the quality of life here — wellness, health, fitness, coming together of community — which is tremendously important for quality of life," Mood said.

"If we want to draw folks to our area then we need to have the amenities, and this is certainly top-of-list for many."

The need for expanded fitness and recreation facilities was made more urgent when the cash-strapped YMCA in Yarmouth was forced to shut down in 2020.

The town bought the YMCA's Main Street building as a bridge until the Mariners Centre upgrades are completed, Mood said.

The facility is operated by the Mariner Centre Management Authority and jointly funded by the town and the municipalities of Argyle and Yarmouth.

'Critical mass'

According to Mood, the expanded centre will achieve the "critical mass" needed to attract people and that would have significant benefits for the hospitality and retail sectors.

It's a sentiment echoed by Argyle MLA Colton LeBlanc, who represented the minister of communities, culture, tourism and heritage at the announcement.

"Hubs like these play a vital role in ensuring stronger, healthier communities," LeBlanc said in a news release.

Nicole Albright, chair of the expansion steering committee, said the expansion is being guided by what residents of the area told them in surveys.

Although provincial funding has just been finalized, Albright said there will not be a long delay before work can begin.

"Some people may have thought we were crazy because we were spending money on consultants for governance," she said.

"We were spending money on consultants for this and that, but we felt like we had to be ready if we did get the funding, and we are."

Albright said she anticipates the expansion will take between three and five years to complete once construction begins in earnest.

The footprint of the current centre on Jody Shelley Drive will be enlarged. An aquatics area, a two-lane walking track and a fitness centre will be added, Albright said.

The next step will be a request for proposals for a design for the centre, Albright said.