Canada Games Park receives major donation
- The Walker Family and Walker Industries has made a $3 million donation for Canada Games Park beside Brock University.
- The sport and recreation complex at Canada Games Park will be named the Walker Sports and Abilities Centre in recognition of the contribution.
- The agreement will also see the plaza on the site named the Walker Founders Plaza.
- The facility is scheduled to host a number of Canada Games events in August 2022 and will be available for community use after the Games has ended.
The LocalSKIM for Friday, July 16
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has indicated that his government has set a target date of mid-August to reopen the border to fully vaccinated Americans and travelers from other countries could be allowed into Canada in early September. (CBC News)
- The Toronto Blue Jays have received a National Interest Exemption which will allow the team to return to Toronto and play home games at the Rogers Centre starting July 30. (Sportsnet)
- St. Catharines could soon join the other 11 Niagara municipalities in implementing development charges, which could result in millions of dollars to help cover infrastructure costs related to new builds that would otherwise need to be fully covered by taxpayers. (St. Catharines Standard)
Italo Club in Niagara Falls vandalized
It is believed the vandalism occurred July 15 after 5pm
The LocalSKIM for Thursday, July 15
- Premier Doug Ford stated that Ontario will not create a vaccine passport that would allow businesses and event organizers to verify the vaccination status of individuals. However, the federal government is developing a vaccine passport that could be used for international travel. (CTV News)
- Canada’s deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo says the Toronto Blue Jays’ return to Toronto is “trending in a very good direction”, indicating that the Blue Jays may play at Rogers Centre in the coming weeks. (CP24)
- YMCA of Niagara Chief executive officer Steven Chuang said competition has made larger YMCA buildings like the ones in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls unfeasible. However, if the Walker YMCA facility is sold, Chuang said they would look at opening a smaller YMCA building in St. Catharines. (St. Catharines Standard)
The LocalSKIM for Wednesday, July 14
- The Niagara Region has committed $4M to expand hospice care. The funding will support the expansion of Hospice Niagara’s services through two new Hospice Palliative Care Centres of Excellence, located at Gilmore Lodge in Fort Erie and Foyer Richelieu in Welland. (610 CKTB)
- The Niagara Region is considering establishing a temporary memorial at Regional Headquarters for the families and friends of the 427 people who have died in Niagara due to COVID-19. (St. Catharines Standard)
- The City of Thorold will be holding Movies in the Park Nights this summer with movies on July 24, August 7 and August 21. Registration is required. Click here for more information. (Thorold News)