Speaking Notes from Media Conference in Support of the Long-Gun Registry

Sod turned and construction underway on multi-sport indoor sports facility at Mainland Common

  Participating in the event were Hon. Graham Steele, Minister of Finance; Debbie Hum, Councillor for District 16 (Rockingham/Wentworth); Mary Wile, Councillor for District 10- Clayton Park West; Russell Walker, Councillor for District 15 (Fairview/Clayton Park); Ken MacLean, President, Soccer Nova Scotia; George Athanasiou, Executive Director; Scott Lytle, Indoor Facility Committee Chair; and Laurie Cameron, Vice President ACOA.

  Dan Worthington, Director, National Training Centre - Atlantic and Mike Hudson, Technical Director, Soccer Nova Scotia with provincial and league soccer players

Halifax, Nova Scotia (August 21, 2010) - Players, coaches, officials, club volunteers, technical and administrative staff were on hand this morning to unveil the design plan for the new Multi-Sport Indoor Sports Facility at Mainland Commons and to celebrate the start of construction with a sod
turning.

"The new 3-pitch, Multi-sport Indoor Sports Facility will be a huge boost for sport in Nova Scotia and will begin to address the chronic shortage of available indoor facilities," says Ken MacLean, President of Soccer Nova Scotia. "An expanded indoor facility within the Capital District of Nova Scotia complements facilities across the province and helps make soccer more accessible to players and elevate the quality of play in the province."

Participating in the event were Ken MacLean, President, Soccer Nova Scotia; Scott Lytle, Indoor Facility Committee Chair; George Athanasiou, Executive Director and Ted Mitchell, Connor Architects and Planners Ltd.; Laurie Cameron, Vice President ACOA; Hon. Graham Steele, Minister of Finance; Leonard Preyra, MLA Halifax-Sable Island; Mary Wile, Councillor for District
10 - Clayton Park West; Debbie Hum, Councillor for District 16 (Rockingham/Wentworth); and Russell Walker, Councillor for District 15 (Fairview/Clayton Park).

Construction is expected to start immediately and be completed by April 2011. Funding for the facility has been secured from Soccer Nova Scotia, the Province of Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality and the Government of Canada.

The new facility will address chronic unmet needs for indoor facilities for soccer and other field sports and will provide a venue that is affordable and accessible for Nova Scotians. It complements regional indoor soccer facilities built in Kentville, Stellarton, Cape Breton and Bridgewater which are part of Soccer Nova Scotia's growth plan for the province. It also is coordinated with services and amenities at Canada Games Field House.

Located in close proximity to the new Canada Games Field House, athletes will have access to the pool, running track, and physiotherapy clinic plus the facility is also designed to accommodate other sports, such as football, rugby, and ultimate Frisbee at the new facility is integrated with the
community's aspirations for sport facilities.

Once this new facility is finished, Nova Scotia will be in an excellent position to attract national indoor soccer championships and bring positive national recognition to the province. In recent years, Nova Scotia soccer athletes have achieved success provincially, nationally and internationally and the ability to access year-round, concerted training will provide further opportunities for talented Nova Scotia youth to excel in sport.

About Soccer Nova Scotia: Soccer Nova Scotia (SNS) is the provincial organization that is responsible for the promotion and development of soccer within Nova Scotia. SNS has a track record of running a well managed and well maintained indoor soccer facility over the last decade and has been a catalyst for the development of indoor soccer facilities in Stellarton, Bridgewater, Kentville and Cape Breton. Soccer Nova Scotia is financially secure as evidenced by its ability to obtain $3.5 million for its contribution to the new 3-pitch multi-sport facility. SNS has been assessed by Sport Nova Scotia as the number one sport in Nova Scotia in the areas of leadership, organizational effectiveness, and athlete development every year for the last 12 years.