This morning the City of Winnipeg announced the construction of a new outdoor basketball court in the community of Sinclair Park to bring everyone of all ages a place to be active.

"The new outdoor basketball court at the Sinclair Park Community Centre will provide athletes of all ages and levels with a place to stay active, hone their skills, and create friendships through sport," said Kevin Lamoureux, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg North, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. "Our government is proud to work with our partners to invest in projects that build healthy and resilient communities."

Construction for the project at the Sinclair Park Community Centre is scheduled to begin in June 2023 and is expected to be open to the public in August 2023.

"Sinclair Park Community Centre is an important resource for community activities, recreation and sport in this part of the North End," said Councillor Ross Eadie, Mynarski. "The addition of a new basketball court is a worthy investment as it will be in demand and very well-used by area residents. It has been an honour to assist our excellent, selfless volunteers to realize their three-year vision for another sport for the Robertson and surrounding neighbourhoods."

City Council approved the funding for the new outdoor basketball court through the COVID-19 Economic Response and Recovery Plan, which is a plan dedicated to enhancing active transportation, improving regional park infrastructure, and adding accessible recreational amenities in underserved areas of the city. The estimated budget for the entire project is approximately $290,000, with $286,000 of the project budget funded through the federal Canada Community-Building Fun and $4,000 from the City of Winnipeg.

"The outdoor basketball court is a wonderful addition to Sinclair Park Community Centre, bringing more opportunity for fun and fitness to the community," said Andrew Smith, Manitoba Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage. "Our Manitoba government is committed to the health and well-being of people across the province, and we are pleased to administer the federal Canada Community-Building Fund for projects just like this one."

"This announcement is the end result of five long years of trying to obtain funding for an outdoor basketball court and we want to thank Councillor Ross Eadie for helping move our project to the finish line," said Tracy Ball, President, Sinclair Park Community Centre. "This basketball court will serve multiple users, from families looking to spend quality time to youth looking to be healthy and active. We have also ensured that this court will be fully accessible to ensure that there are no barriers to the usage of this court. We recognize the various levels of hardships that our community faces. We want to be a support system that helps create opportunities for physical and mental well-being. Every opportunity a community centre has to support the community it serves is a win."

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