Improved acoustics at the Gibsons arena provided the backdrop for a funding announcement Tuesday afternoon as politicians delivered their speeches over music broadcast during a figure skating event.
The $120,000 acoustic upgrade to the Gibsons and Area Community Centre arena was completed last August, but the April 2 announcement was held to spotlight the federal government's matching contribution of $60,000 toward the project.
The upgrade consists of about 1,000 vertical ceiling panels, or baffles, made of recycled cotton, as well as acoustic wall panels.
The improvements have made a huge difference to sound quality in the facility, said Patrick Tasci of Soundwerks, who was contracted to do the upgrade.
"It used to take about seven and a half seconds for sound to dissipate here. Now it takes less than two seconds. So people can hear each other," Tasci said.
West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country member of Parliament John Weston used the occasion to praise last month's federal budget for seriously addressing the infrastructure deficit plaguing Canadian municipalities.
"The government of Canada is spending some $53 billion over the next 10 years in terms of infrastructure," Weston said. "The commitment in this budget to spend money on infrastructure is now the longest-term commitment to infrastructure in Canada's history."
Calling the arena announcement "a very upbeat moment," Weston also plugged National Fitness Day, an initiative he launched last year in a private member's bill that encourages municipalities to open their facilities free of charge during the first Saturday in June.
Eighteen local governments have pledged their support for National Fitness Day, which is now in its second year and has been endorsed by medical and fitness groups, Weston said.
Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) board chair Garry Nohr noted the acoustics were so much better in the facility since the upgrade that he found himself tapping to the music from the figure skating program while waiting his turn to speak.
The upgrade has improved the venue for dances and concerts "and has made the hockey experience more pleasant," Nohr said.
Last year, he said, the SCRD saw more than 360,000 visits to its recreational facilities, showing their value to residents.
Also attending the event were Gibsons Mayor Wayne Rowe, SCRD board directors and staff, and about a dozen community members.
