Ontario pledges to spend $11M upgrading sports infrastructure in Niagara Region

Key Takeaways:

• Ontario is investing $10 million to replace the 52-year-old Chippawa Willoughby Memorial Arena with a new NHL-sized rink, expanded seating, changerooms, and a community hub featuring a library and year-round programming.
• The province is also providing $420,000 to retrofit the YMCA of Niagara for energy efficiency and $698,000 to refurbish the Niagara Olympic Club’s track and field infrastructure.
• These investments are part of Ontario’s $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, tied to a broader $200 billion plan to strengthen communities and promote economic growth across the province.

The whole Story:

The Ontario government is investing more than $11.1 million in sport and recreation infrastructure across the Niagara Region, including a major upgrade to the aging Chippawa Willoughby Memorial Arena in Niagara Falls.

The funding is part of the province’s $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, which aims to revitalize community facilities and promote active living across Ontario.

The centrepiece of the announcement is a $10 million commitment to overhaul the 52-year-old Chippawa Willoughby Arena. Plans include constructing a new NHL-sized ice pad, seven changerooms, expanded spectator seating and a new community hub with an accessible library and space for multi-generational programming.

“This major investment will change lives for generations in Niagara Falls,” said Mayor Jim Diodati in a statement. “It will support our growing community… and be a cornerstone for recreation, learning and community connection.”

The provincial funding also includes $420,000 for energy-efficiency upgrades at the YMCA of Niagara — including new LED lighting and HVAC replacements — and $698,000 to refurbish the Niagara Olympic Club’s track and field infrastructure.

Sport Minister Neil Lumsden said the investments will help lower costs, boost local economies and expand access to healthy activities.

“With investments in infrastructure like this, we are protecting Ontario jobs, strengthening our communities and building a more resilient and self-reliant economy,” Lumsden said.

The CSRIF initiative is part of Ontario’s broader infrastructure strategy, which includes a $200 billion commitment to projects such as highways, hospitals, schools and transit.