WINNIPEG, MB – Pat Broe, President & Chief Executive Officer of The Broe Group, an affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc., today announced a donation of $200,000 to support the renewal of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC) in honour of University of Winnipeg President & Vice-Chancellor Lloyd Axworthy and his spouse Denise Ommanney.
“We are pleased to support the fine work of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre,” said Mr. Broe, at a fundraising reception for CNSC held today at UWinnipeg’s Convocation Hall. “I am especially honoured to make this donation in the name of Lloyd Axworthy and Denise Ommanney, who have demonstrated over many years their leadership and commitment to the long-term viability of the Port of Churchill and to the preservation of the Northern environment and economy.”
Axworthy, who served as senior federal minister for Manitoba from 1980 to 1984, and again from 1993 to 2000, was instrumental in overseeing the transfer of ownership of the Port of Churchill and the railway line that serves it from the Government of Canada to OmniTRAX, Inc. He now serves as Chairman of the Board of the Churchill Gateway Corporation, a public-private partnership between the federal government, the Province of Manitoba and OmniTRAX, Inc, responsible for marketing the Port of Churchill to the world.
“Denise and I are truly honoured by this contribution to the CNSC capital campaign by OmniTRAX,” said Axworthy. “It speaks not only to OmniTRAX’s commitment to the future of the Centre but also to their ongoing support of the community of Churchill and the Northern Manitoba economy.”
Established in 1976, the Centre is a non-profit organization providing logistic services to scientific researchers working in the western Hudson Bay region and educational programs to the general public. The Centre’s current facility, located at the site of the former Churchill Research (Rocket) Range, has exceeded its practical lifespan and must be upgraded or replaced. Renovations and new construction are planned to provide accommodations and modern laboratory facilities for up to 76 researchers. When completed, it will be Manitoba’s most northerly LEED™ standard building. An integrated design process is set to begin in April 2008 with construction anticipated to begin in the spring of 2009.
“An expanded and enhanced Churchill Northern Studies Centre will lay the foundation for the next 30 years of research excellence in western Hudson Bay,” said Michael Goodyear, CNSC’s Executive Director. “Today’s announcement represents another milestone in the history of the Centre, building upon our strengths and reputation as Canada’s internationally recognized centre of excellence for northern research and education.”
The Centre is currently in the process of a Capital Campaign to raise $15 million in support this renewal project. So far, $8.2 million has been raised from a number of major donors including The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, Manitoba Hydro, OmniTRAX, The Nature Conservancy of Canada, The MacArthur Foundation, Town of Churchill Mitigation Trust, The Thomas Sill Foundation, Calm Air International Ltd., Royal Bank Financial, CNSC members and the local Churchill business community. More information can be found at www.churchillscience.ca
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The University of Winnipeg is one of Canada’s leading post-secondary institutions. Consistently ranked in the Top-10 in the country on an annual basis by both Maclean’s Magazine and The Globe & Mail newspaper, the University of Winnipeg is a leader in academic excellence, Aboriginal education, environmental studies & sustainability, and theatre & the arts. The University of Winnipeg is committed to improving access to post-secondary education for all individuals, especially those people from non-traditional communities. Find out more by visiting www.uwinnipeg.ca.
The Broe Group, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, provides management services to a group of affiliated companies that have over 30 years of international investment, acquisition, and operational experience. These companies are involved in an expanding and diverse array of businesses and industries including: Transportation, featuring OmniTRAX, one of the largest private rail-related operations in North America; Real Estate, incorporating the ownership and operation of premier office and industrial properties throughout North America; and Energy, including Century Coal.
OmniTRAX, Inc. is one of North America’s leading transportation services companies offering a broad range of customized solutions to the industrial and transportation sectors. Based in Denver, Colorado, it is the private owner/operator of the Port of Churchill as well as the railway line that serves it, the Hudson Bay Railway Company. For more information, visit www.omnitrax.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Michael Goodyear, Executive Director, Churchill Northern Studies Centre,
P: (204) 675-2037, E: goodyear@churchillscience.ca
Shawn Coates, Director of Marketing & Communications, University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7126, C: 204.230.0202, E: s.coates@uwinnipeg.ca
