Kincardine has celebrated the official opening of the Davidson Centre Gym and shared it with the openings of two other infrastructure projects — the Kincardine Arts Centre and the Connaught Park washrooms.
Combined, the three projects represent 4.3 million dollars worth of work, shared by the municipality and the two senior levels of government.
With the new gym as a backdrop during the ceremonies, Kincardine Mayor Larry Kraemer says the three additions represent the needs of the health of the community and the cultural needs as well.
Recreation Director Karen Kieffer says it’s been a long time coming, referring to the opening of the state-of-the-art gym at the Davidson Centre.
She says it’s taken over two years, with many bumps in the road, along the way but now they are open for business and she expects the gym to be a busy place, along with the walking track that surrounds the gym.
Kieffer says the walking track is free to the public for their use.
Keith Davidson, after whom the centre was named, is thrilled with the addition.
Davidson says almost 40 years ago, they were starting on the construction of the centre and decided a banquet hall/activity hybrid centre was the route to go.
He says half of the community that wanted a gymnasium was unhappy with that move.
Davidson says he’s pleased that some 37 years later, that gym has finally been built.
The Davidson Centre gym cost three million-dollars while renovations to the Kincardine Arts Centre came in at about a million dollars.
The Connaught Park washrooms cost 300 thousand dollars to construct.
