St. Clair Colleges' Thames Campus Healthplex Campaign received a healthy shot in the arm from the federal government today.  Dave Van Kesteren, M.P. for Chatham-Kent-Essex, announced in a media conference that he has secured $7.7 million of funding towards the completion of the campus Healthplex.  The state-of–the- art fitness complex plans include a double gymnasium, running track and additional classroom space.

Today's funding announcement  is part of the up to $102 million investment made through the Community Adjustment Fund for 2009-2010, announced on August 27 by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, newly appointed Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). It is the government's intention to support a total of 90 projects in communities across Southern Ontario that are struggling with the effects of the global economic downturn. CAF is just one in a series of initiatives introduced in the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan designed to address the short-term effects of the economic decline on communities across Canada, while preparing our communities for long-term growth.

“We are seeing the enrolment numbers at St. Clair College and other educational institutions rise during this economic downturn.  We need to support our post-secondary schools.  With today's announcement, the federal government is doing just that,” said M.P. Van Kesteren.

Mayor Randy Hope, who has been in support of the campus Healthplex project, said “Lifelong learning among all of our citizens is one of the keys stones of our community strategic plan.” He went on to say “On behalf of Chatham-Kent Council and the community, I want to thank the federal government for today's timely and important announcement.”

Dr. John Strasser praised the hard work of Dave Van Kesteren who believed in this project and thanked him for his ongoing support to the college.  “There has not been any Federal government elected representative who has delivered more to this Chatham campus than Dave Van Kesteren.  We truly thank him for his help in securing over $ 9.9 million since May of this year.  Dave recently announced his governments' Knowledge Infrastructure Program investment $2.2 million for our Trades and Technology addition at this campus added to today's  $7.7 million good news.”