BRIDGEWATER - Proponents of the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre celebrated a symbolic milestone just as much as the installation of a mostly green, blue and white billboard.

 Ottawa confirmed with organizers of the rink, pool and library complex that the $10.35 million in federal funding is no longer waiting in the wings until a final contract is signed.

 The lifestyle centre is expected to cost about $32 million. The province is throwing in $10 million toward the project, while the Municipality of Lunenburg is contributing $3.85 million and the Town of Bridgewater is spending $5 million. The remainder will be fundraised.

 The federal government has indicated the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre can start spending that portion and submit receipts after the contract is signed, which is expected to happen a month or two from now, roughly around the time organizers will have a sod-turning to mark the start of construction.

 South Shore-St. Margarets MP Gerald Keddy sympathized with communities embarking on big projects but said there's protocol to be followed.

 "There's a fair amount of oversight in these and it's there for a reason. It's there to make sure public money is being spent wisely and accountably," he said.

 Ottawa authorized the move in a letter to the lifestyle centre group in July, said centre chairman Paul Belliveau, who anticipates clearing of the land will happen this fall.

 He and other lifestyle centre organizers, along with representatives from the three levels of government paying into the venture, gathered August 19 at the corner of North Park Street and York Street to pose with a new sign promoting the project.

 Photos taken will be used toward bolstering the fundraising campaign for the lifestyle centre.

 "We're trying to show that it's a whole community project and we need everybody to pull together and that's more important that anything else now," Mr. Belliveau said.

 There's another sign that was placed on the property further south on York Street. Mr. Belliveau said that will stay where it is for now. That billboard was installed where organizers originally thought the building would be placed, but the structure will actually be closer to North Park Street.

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posted on 08/24/10