The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation, today announced $100,000 in funding for the 2009
Regional Games Program, which will see regional events held in select
communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador this year.
"The Regional Games Program is an ideal means for our
province�s youth to become physically active and participate in
organized sport," said Minister Jackman. "It is essential that we
instill in our young people, at an early age, the importance of physical
activity and making healthy choices."
The annual program, administered through Recreation
Newfoundland and Labrador, provides an opportunity for the province�s
youth, aged 11-18, to come together within their respective regions and
participate in multi-sport events in a fun, structured, but
non-competitive environment. Each of the selected regions receives up to
a maximum of $10,000 to offset the financial costs of hosting an event.
To date, the following Regional Games events have been approved:
Killick Coast; Town of Pouch Cove and Town of
Flatrock - August 10-14
Cabot Loop; Bonavista Area Youth Network (BAYNet)
� August 17-20
Baccalieu; Town of Carbonear and Town of Bay
Roberts - August 24-28
Several proposals from other regions are under
consideration. The program can support a maximum of 10 events, which are
held at different times during the year.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador remains
committed to sport and athlete development in this province. Budget 2009
provides an additional $875,000 to improve existing sport and recreation
programming, and introduce new initiatives which support the goals of
the Provincial Government�s recreation and sports strategy, Active,
Healthy Newfoundland and Labrador (2007). Through initiatives
identified in the strategy, more than $8.1 million in new funding has
been invested in the recreation and sport sectors over the past three
years.
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