KINGSTON – The city may seek provincial and federal support for a $40-million renovation of the Memorial Centre.

City council on Tuesday is to be asked to approve applications to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The program provides funding from the two upper levels of government for municipal infrastructure projects.

The proposed budget for the renovation envisions a federal contribution of up to $16 million, a provincial contribution of up to $13.3 million and $10.7 million from the city and its partners, which could include the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington and Queen’s University, whose men’s and women’s varsity hockey programs are among the biggest users of the almost 70-year-old arena.

“The facility was (recently) designed for an Ontario Hockey League team which included capacity for approximately 2,800 spectators,” stated a report to council from Peter Huigenbos, acting commissioner of community services.

“As this is no longer its primary function, there is an opportunity to renew the ice rink function and make this space more accessible to the needs of the community beyond recreation and build on the community hub concept that is in place in other areas of the city.”

The city is also seeking to partner with Loyalist Township on its $43-million renovation and expansion of the aquatic centre at the W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre.

The project would include the replacement of the existing five-lane, 25-metre pool with an eight-lane 25-metre pool and an accompanying warm water therapy pool, a fitness centre, a walking route through the addition, a municipal office and other community functions.

In the past year, Kingston residents have accounted for 1,200 user visits and program registrations, about one-third of total registrations.

The township is seeking $1.5 million from the city.

The city is also considering partnering with the area’s two French-language school boards – e Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien and le Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario – on the development of a future neighbourhood park and their new secondary school sports fields in the West Village subdivision near Taylor-Kidd Boulevard and Centennial Drive.