A $1.7 million investment is going towards two City of Guelph projects implementing green infrastructure.
The first is a nearly complete project of the West End Community Centre, a retrofitted HVAC system. The federal government is investing $1.6 million into the project and the City of Guelph is pitching in $477,798.
The funding was provided through the federal government’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program. The program supports green retrofitting, repairs and upgrades of existing community buildings.
The HVAC system once complete is set to reduce the building’s energy consumption by an estimated 54.6 per cent and a reduction of 740 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield made the announcement on Wednesday.
“Funding for the project will support the retrofit of 20 HVAC units up on the roof and in the boiler room,” said Longfield.
“This announcement today represents another step in Guelph’s work to get to net zero by 2050,” he said.
The HVAC system reduces greenhouse gas emissions by burning less natural gas, said Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie.
The other investment is for a wayfinding project for Guelph’s trails and active transportation network and the City of Guelph is investing $50,000 through the Active Transportation Fund.
This will give people a better way of finding “their way around, whether they’re navigating Guelph’s trails, their sidewalks. Whether they’re using a scooter, walking, or hiking, or accessible devices,” said Guthrie.
This project will help people make a different choice in their daily routine to use active transportation options and allow them to move around the city better, he said.
“The active transportation is vital to our economy and tourism sectors and it provides alternate modes of transportation,” said Longfield.
Longfield said he rides his bike on the streets when he could be using trails and he has to get into a better habit. “I think other people are looking at other ways to get to work. It's a way of improving our air quality, reducing emissions. You meet people on trails, you get healthy at the same time,” he said.
