February 10, 2005 – The Centre Polyvalent des aînés francophones de Port Colborne is receiving a Communities in Action Fund grant from the Ontario government to increase physical activity among Port Colborne francophone seniors, Minister of Tourism and Recreation Jim Bradley announced today. “This grant will create more opportunities for Port Colborne’s francophone seniors to participate in sport and recreation,” said Bradley. “Providing more opportunities for physical activity helps to build strong and healthy communities.” The $22,170 Communities in Action Fund grant will be used to develop, implement, and purchase equipment for a physical activity program at the Centre Polyvalent, and to introduce French-language exercise programs for members. The grant will also assist in training 20 volunteers to deliver new programs featuring aqua fit, line dancing, strengthening exercises, and Tai Chi for the centre’s more than 200 members.

The $5.2 million Communities in Action Fund provides funds for new initiatives that contribute to increasing opportunities for Ontarians to be physically active and play sports. The fund helps local and provincial not-for-profit organizations provide more community sport and recreation projects. Priority will be given to projects that benefit underserved groups like older adults, children and youth, girls and women, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal people, those in low-income categories and visible and ethnic minorities.

“This is great news for all of those who use the Centre Polyvalent’s services,” said Bradley. “Through the Communities in Action Fund, we are enabling seniors to make sport and physical activity a part of their daily lives.” The Communities In Action Fund is part of ACTIVE2010, Ontario’s new strategy to increase physical activity and sport participation throughout the province so that by the year 2010, 55 per cent of Ontarians are physicallyactive. Find out more at www.ACTIVE2010.ca