PEI

Charlottetown approves additional $25K in annual funding for Eastlink Centre

Charlottetown council has approved an increase of $25,000 in annual funding for the Eastlink Centre.

The increase will be reflected in future year's operating budgets

The Island Storm is one of two anchor tenants at the near 30-year-old facility. Its other tenant, the Charlottetown Islanders, signed a four-year agreement with the centre in March. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

Charlottetown city council has approved an increase of $25,000 in annual funding for the Eastlink Centre.

The funding, which now rises from $50,000 to $75,000, was done to strengthen the city's relationship with the Eastlink Centre and, in turn, the Island Storm basketball team.

The amount will be paid annually, post-season, to ensure funding is only provided when the Island Storm is operating in Charlottetown. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

The amount will be paid annually, post-season, to ensure funding is only provided when the team is operating in Charlottetown. The increase will be reflected in future year's operating budgets.​

The Storm is one of two anchor tenants at the Eastlink Centre — its other, the Charlottetown Islanders, signed a four-year agreement with the centre in March.

Though the arena is nearly 30 years old, the city has long planned for a successor facility somewhere else in Charlottetown. 

A new sports hub in Charlottetown, according to a report commissioned by the city, could cost upward of $80 million and would likely include two NHL-sized arenas with the Eastlink Centre being converted to a community facility.

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With files from Krystalle Ramlakhan