Wawanesa $50,000 gift supports new health and recreation options
WINNIPEG, MB – University of Winnipeg President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, is honoured to accept a $50,000 contribution from Wawanesa Insurance to help realize the UNITED Health & RecPlex on Spence Street. The $40 million state-of-the-art facility helps alleviate the chronic shortage of safe and affordable activity space for inner city youth and residents, supports enhanced student intramural and Wesmen sports programs and academic research, and provides new health services in the neighbourhood.
“The RecPlex is a critically important new community resource that would not be possible without generous private donors who are community builders like Wawanesa, which has its head office here in Winnipeg” said Axworthy. “Together we are creating unprecedented health, wellness and recreation opportunities that strengthen the inner city and adds to the downtown and West End’s revitalization.”
‘Wawanesa Insurance is proud to partner in this community-based enterprise which offers such tangible benefits to so many,” said George Bass, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. “Community residents and students will be enjoying this facility for decades to come. It is a jewel in Winnipeg’s inner city.”
The UNITED Health & RecPlex will accommodate numerous sports such as soccer, flag football and track and field, as well as cultural and community events. It has:
- a large multi-use artificial turf field
- a four-lane rubberized sprint track
- a practice gym
- a jump pit
- retractable batting cages (for baseball practice)
- Thomas Sill Community Multi-purpose room
- food and beverage kiosks
- secure underground parkade for 189 vehicles
- a health and wellness centre
The new RecPlex is connected by skywalk to UWinnipeg’s Duckworth Centre. The Athletic Therapy Clinic will offer even more expertise by athletic therapists, massage therapists, and sports medicine practitioners.
Services will be open to the community, providing an entire block of health care and recreation options. A ribbon-cutting event will be held on June 17, 2014 at the UNITED Health & RecPlex, which will officially open to students and the community in September 2014.
Wawanesa Insurance is a Canadian mutual company owned by its policyholders. It is one of the largest property and casualty insurers in Canada. Wawanesa has 100% ownership of two subsidiary insurance companies: Wawanesa Life and Wawanesa General (U.S.A.). Wawanesa Insurance has a rich history dating back to September 25, 1896, when it was founded in the Village of Wawanesa, Manitoba. Today its Executive Offices are located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
UWinnipeg is one of Canada’s leading post-secondary institutions, consistently recognized by both Maclean’s magazine and The Globe and Mail. UWinnipeg is noted for academic excellence, Indigenous scholarship, environmental commitment, small class sizes and campus diversity. UWinnipeg is committed to improving access to post-secondary education for all individuals, especially those from non-traditional communities. Find out more at uwinnipeg.ca. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
MEDIA CONTACT
Diane Poulin, Senior Communications Specialist, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
