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Esplanade Receives Over $90,000 In Funding
Medicine Hat MP Lavar Payne Make Esplanade Funding Announcement.However, Friday's funding announcement is being overshadowed by another one just down the road.
The Esplanade is getting a major push forward over the next couple of years. On Friday, MP Lavar Payne presented the city with more than $90,000 over the next two years on behalf of the federal government. "There are people throughout the city and the surrounding area that attend the events (at the Esplanade)," says Payne. "We just heard over 80,000 people attended events last year."
Paul Heywood, Director of Operations for the Esplanade, says this money will go miles in bringing artists from all over the country for the citizens of Medicine Hat and area to enjoy.
However, Friday's funding announcement is being overshadowed by another one just down the road. The city of Lethbridge was promised $10-million for the construction of a west side recreation centre. Payne says our proposed Regional Events Centre did not meet the same criteria. "I always said technically it fit and I was pushing for it," says Payne. "In the end it was determined because it is a hockey team and that is the major tenant, it doesn't fit." The facility in Lethbridge will house a curling rink and twin ice arena.