Municipal partners and a local not-for-profit society, Kings County Recreation Forward Association, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) confirming their desire to work together to construct a Regional Recreation Facility.

Mayors and CAOs from the Municipality of the County of Kings, Town of Kentville, and the Town of Wolfville, together with representatives of the Kings County Recreation Forward Association, recently signed an MOU outlining their shared vision for the facility. The Parties are interested in constructing an aquatic centre with a gymnasium, walking track, related amenities, and community rooms. The Town of Kentville also plans on attaching a new replacement arena to the proposed Regional Recreation Facility. The Municipality continues to work through closing conditions associated with the selected location in Coldbrook. The MOU provides a framework for moving forward as a collective and the drafting of an Intermunicipal Services Agreement (IMSA) that will detail how the municipal parties will manage the facility.

In part the Parties agreed to the following next steps:

• Incorporation of an IMSA to own the facility.
• Engagement of an Owner’s Engineer/Project Manager to coordinate the planning and construction phases of the project.
• Continual updating of cost estimates based on the most current information.
• Filing of applications for funding from external sources, including the Provincial and Federal Governments; and
• The management of procurement events associated with project management and design services.

The Association is responsible for contributing 25% of the Municipal Share of Capital Costs through public and corporate community fundraising. The costs to each municipal unit will be determined through a cost-sharing formula defined in the IMSA.

The Town of Kentville will be solely responsible for the capital costs after Federal, Provincial and Association contributions towards construction and the operations of an attached arena. The Town’s share of the capital cost of the arena will also be reduced by the Municipality of the County of Kings contributing $500,000.

The goal is to have a completed Regional Recreation Facility constructed by late 2028, or early 2029. For future updates and more information, visit www.countyofkings.ca/recreationfacility.

“Municipal Council and staff are excited to have partners prepared to move beyond the paperwork and invest in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The time is right, the time is now, and I’m thrilled the Municipality can play a part in advancing this legacy project and creating a new hub of activity and connection for people of all ages and abilities.” - Mayor Dave Corkum, Municipality of the County of Kings

“I am proud that, after years of consideration, the Town of Kentville, the Town of Wolfville, and the Municipality of the County of Kings are moving forward together on a new, state-of-the-art Regional Recreational Facility. Centrally located to serve residents across the region, the project will include multiple indoor pools and a new home for the Kentville arena. For nearly 60 years, Kentville has provided year-round recreational opportunities at the Centennial Arena, and our community is eager to see the new arena and this next chapter come to life. Kentville is proud to be a driving partner in this initiative, demonstrating the value of inter-municipal cooperation and a shared commitment to a facility that will serve residents for generations to come.” - Mayor Andrew Zebian, Town of Kentville

“Wolfville continues to back the vision of a Regional Recreation Facility. With this new Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the partners, we move closer to making this project happen.” - Mayor Jodi MacKay, Town of Wolfville

"This is a milestone moment, not just for our organization, but for every family, athlete, and community member across Kings County, Kentville, and Wolfville who have long deserved high quality recreation facilities. Kings County Recreation Forward is committed to raising the community funds needed to make this facility a reality, and we are proud to stand alongside our community members and municipal partners in this transformative regional project we can all be proud of for generations." - Kings County Recreation Forward Association

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