East Hants Sportsplex Partnership Formalized

(Elmsdale, NS, September 28, 2021) – Eleanor Roulston, Warden for the Municipality of East Hants, and Bill Falkenberg, President of the East Hants Arena Association (EHAA), met on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, along with other members of Council and the EHAA board, to formalize a new partnership for the sustainability of the East Hants Sportsplex in Lantz.

The Municipality agreed to purchase the Sportsplex for $2.3 million at a meeting of Council on July 20, 2021, with a portion of funding ($1.36 million) coming from the Canada Community Building Fund. The purchase price includes clearing the remainder of the EHAA’s debt from the Sportsplex’s 2010 expansion.

“I want to thank the East Hants Arena Association for all of their hard work. They have been an inspiring example of what can happen when there is a vision and a willingness to work tirelessly towards that vision,” said Warden Roulston. “The Sportsplex is a key piece of infrastructure in our community that benefits countless individuals. This partnership secures the future of the facility as a community asset and ensures its financial security in the months and years ahead.”

The EHAA will operate the Sportsplex as an agent of the Municipality through a Facility Management Agreement, and are responsible for day-to-day operations and fundraising for operational needs. The Municipality is responsible for capital improvements to the facility. As part of the agreement, the Association also gains two new board members, appointed from Council, and a staff liaison from the Municipality.

“As a Board, the EHAA’s mission has always been to provide a first class, affordable recreation facility for the benefit of the community,” said Mr. Falkenberg. “We are extremely grateful for the lifeline provided by the Municipality and this new partnership will allow us to continue to operate this facility with their support well into the future.”

For more information on the purchase of the Sportsplex click here.

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About East Hants

East Hants is a vibrant, welcoming community that embraces rural and urban living – a place where everyone feels connected. East Hants cares about people and their quality of life. Through program and service excellence, the municipality is building a strong, thriving community

About the East Hants Arena Association

The East Hants Arena Association is a not-for-profit volunteer group of citizens from East Hants, first formed in the 1940s to offer the community a recreation facility. Age and deficiencies in the original arena (The Barn) created a need for a new and updated arena and, in 1993, the Keith Miller Arena opened. Demand and growth warranted further expansion by the late 2000s and in 2011 the current facility with two full-size ice surfaces and an indoor field house (Dome) opened. This $19-million expansion was funded by three levels of government, community fundraising, and financing provided by BMO. Until 2020, EHAA has operated annually without any significant financial subsidies, made possible by a revenue model that includes ongoing fundraising (TV Bingo, golf tournament), facility advertising, and a diverse base of over 100 user groups.