The $29.9 million funding announcement for the Mariners Centre Expansion project is a celebration for many.

Nicole Albright is a councillor in Argyle and Chair of the Mariners Centre Expansion Committee.

She says it’s the culmination of a lot of work.

“Although there is still a lot of work left to happen, we’re in a good position to get things going as quickly as we can. This announcement is just icing on the cake, and the smile won’t come off my face,” says Albright.

She says the main components will be a swimming pool, a fitness centre and common spaces, and they’ve hired a consultant to conduct fundraising.

“Now that we have our number, we can really focus on what we can afford, within that number.”

She says she’d like to see shovels in the ground as soon as possible, but it could take two-to-four years before construction begins.