Rothesay gets provincial funding for community complex

The Town of Rothesay is one step closer to fulfilling a long-standing ambition.

The Rothesay Intergenerational Community Complex (RICC) received a major funding boost Wednesday, a $6-million infusion from the provincial government.

Premier Susan Holt, addressing a crowd gathered at Rothesay High School, said she first heard about the RICC when Rothesay MLA Alyson Townsend came to her and said the community had a priority project the premier needed to hear about it.

“There’s a real need, we have an end-of-life facility, will you come and meet with us,” Holt said, describing the conversations she had with officials about the project.

Holt said when she met with Rothesay Mayor Nancy Grant and town staff, they presented “an exceptionally well-considered project.”

“What our government likes to do is listen to the folks on the ground,” Holt said. “It’s not up to us in Fredericton to tell you what your priorities are or what you’re going to get. We like municipalities to tell us this is our number one thing.”

Mayor Grant said it’s hard to believe the RICC is now so much closer to reality.

“But it feels so good because we’ve worked so hard and so many people have worked for this,” she said. “You know, three, four councils, two mayors, two town managers, all kinds of staff.

“It just feels like the top of the world.”

Bringing people together

Townsend described the RICC as a centrepiece for Rothesay.

“(It) will help bring our community together for decades to come,” she said.  “From day one we have been working diligently to make this project a reality, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this key investment in the town of Rothesay and our region as a whole.”

The complex will include a replacement for the aging Rothesay Arena, which Grant said was 74 years old, and Holt said she’d been informed might be the coldest arena in New Brunswick.

“You may not leave there with your toes intact if you are there for more than one game,” Holt said with a laugh.

A walking track will be part of the new arena.

The old arena will be repurposed as indoor space for other sports like basketball and pickleball. Grant said activities like dance or gymnastics could also find a home.

“Everybody’s looking for space,” she said.

Grant said the new structure and the renovated structure will be connected with a third structure that will be a public café and gathering space.

“We will truly have a community hub,” she said. “Something that we’ve wanted for years.”

Grant said the idea is to create a “complete community” in Rothesay, a walkable community where residents can get to commercial areas, recreation areas, schools and whatever else they need by simply walking.

Holt said projects like the RICC are what matters to New Brunswickers.

“By investing in community infrastructure like this, we are strengthening communities and supporting a healthier, more active future for everyone,” the premier said.

No additional ice surfaces

The new arena will only have one ice surface, and the old surface will be removed.

“That’s all we’ve been raising the money for,” Grant said. “We’ve been asked about a second surface and right now it’s just too expensive.”

Grant acknowledged the Kennebecasis Valley needs ice surfaces.

“We don’t have enough,” she added.

There are currently three ice surfaces in Rothesay and Quispamsis. Along with the Rothesay Arena are the QPlex and the Quispamsis Memorial Arena.

Grant said a potential benefit of the new arena could be major tournaments coming to Rothesay.

“I think it could add a lot and we’ve already had comments from the hockey organizations about the possibility of more tournaments,” she said.

Next steps

Grant said the project is in the final stage of design, with the plans hopefully approved at Rothesay town council’s March meeting.

“And we’re hoping to break ground, at least on site preparation, in late April,” she said. “And we expect … the rink will be operational in the fall of 2028.”

Grant said there is still some funding to be secured, but the project is in a place where she’s confident it will come and the real work can finally begin.