COUNTY - A big splash of recreation cash swept into Chester last week.

 Amongst a series of monetary awards, the province announced $88,000 to the village of Chester toward upgrades to the Chester Lido pool.

 The Municipality of Chester and village taxpayers are also contributing to the project, estimated to cost in the $300,000 range.

 "We're putting in public washrooms and we're replacing the old pool building," said village vice-chairwoman Brenda Mulrooney.

 "While doing that, since it was going to be the moving of the equipment and it was costing us a lot of money to keep the old equipment patched together, we decided why not put some good money into good equipment?

 "So, that's also part of this project."

 The $88,000 will be paid out over a two-year period.

 The province on June 18 announced nine South Shore region grants under the Recreation Facility Development Program.

 Ms Mulrooney said she's thrilled their application was successful. The money will aid the pool's pumping and filtration system and go toward floor repairs.

 "The pumps were patched together for years and they've been thrown out and we have ordered new ones," she said.

 Some of the work could be finished by Canada Day to make way for swimming lessons while most of the job should be finished by September.

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 "The floor repair probably won't get done this year," Ms Mulrooney said. "It will probably get done after swimming lessons are over this fall or in the spring of next year."

 Three other recreation facility grants were awarded in Lunenburg County last week.

 The Municipality of Lunenburg receives $28,000 to develop a marine park in the southwestern part of the county.

 The United Communities Marine Park Society wants to create a public space at former Fisheries and Oceans Canada property in the Voglers Cove area, off Highway 331. The first step of the plan includes a gazebo, site preparation and landscaping, signage and wharf design.

 A management agreement is in place between the Municipality of Lunenburg, which now has custody of the land, and the society. Mayor Don Downe said the Municipality of Lunenburg also gave a $28,500 grant of its own.

 "We certainly appreciate the province's commitment to green spaces and park development and rural communities and hope they continue," he said.

 Meanwhile the province is granting Chester Area Middle School $9,000 toward repairs to its track and field facilities and $14,000 to Hebbville Academy for playground upgrades.

posted on 06/22/10