
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith has announced a total of over $1.9 million in provincial funding to replace the floors and other upgrades at two arenas in Peterborough County.
MPP Smith made the announcement at two separate events on Friday (July 25), first at the Ennismore Community Centre and then at the Douro-Dummer Community Centre.
The funding is part of the Ontario government’s $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF), a province-wide initiative intended to help communities revitalize local facilities, grow the economy, and promote active and healthy living.
The province will invest $931,750 for the project at the Ennismore Community Centre, which will see the arena’s 54-year-old 80-by-180 foot concrete floor replaced as well as refrigeration piping and the ice rink chiller.
“It’s more than just replacing a 54-year-old ice surface — it’s about securing the future of a vital community hub,” MPP Smith said in a media release. “This funding ensures that local sports teams, recreational skaters, and community groups will continue to have a modern, safe, and accessible facility for decades to come.”
Selwyn Township mayor Sherry Senis thanked the Ontario government for recognizing the importance of the project, saying the Ennismore Community Centre is “more than just an arena.”
“It’s a gathering place for residents of all ages,” she said. “This funding will help preserve and modernize an essential facility that supports health, wellness, and community connection.”
For the Douro-Dummer Community Centre, the province will invest $1 million to replace the arena’s aging ice surface with one that is more energy-efficient, as well as to install in-floor heating to enable year-round use of the arena, reducing operational costs and environmental impacts.
“This critical upgrade will significantly reduce operational costs and create a vibrant, accessible space that will serve as the heart of our community for generations to come,” MPP Smith said.
Douro-Dummer Township mayor Heather Watson also thanked the Ontario government, adding the province’s investment in the arena is the “largest commitment to its future since the day it was built” 45 years ago.
“This funding will allow us to preserve and enhance a place that brings our community together,” she said.
According to the province, CSRIF is an application-based program providing a $200 million investment over two years for municipalities, Indigenous communities, and non-profit organizations that are repairing and rehabilitating existing sport and recreation facilities and spaces or building new or transformative sport and recreation infrastructure.