A Conservative government spending spree continued Friday with Essex MP Jeff Watson announcing more than $1 million in funding for local trails and several legion halls.
The federal representative for the region crammed several funding allocations into a mixed bag of announcements, further fuelling speculation that a federal election could come in the next few days.
Standing in the shade at Sadler’s Nature Park, Watson boasted about the $500,000 his government doled out to improve the Essex-Amherstburg Greenway and the $400,000 for the enhancement of Lakewood Park Trail in Tecumseh.
Sandwiched between the park announcements was $145,000 for much-needed upgrades to several aging Legion halls.
Watson shielded criticisms that the string of photo opportunities, including a second infrastructure announcement this afternoon in Amherstburg, are merely part of a ploy to garner attention before a federal election that could be called as early as Sunday.
“Every year we pass a budget, we passed one in June before we rose and investments like these arise out of budgets and we have a duty to report on our activities,” he said. “We have applicants, who make their applications, who also deserve to know whether their projects are accepted.”
Potential election or not, though, the recipients of the cash were beaming Friday with the funding. Getting approval for half a million dollars will go a long way to upgrading the Greenway trail, explained Susan Stockwell-Andrews, president of the Essex Region Conservation Foundation.
“It’s extremely important. We are so grateful as a foundation and everyone who’s already contributed to the trial,” she said. “It’s just going to be completed a lot faster than we ever expected.”
Five branches of the Royal Canadian Legion throughout the county will get much-needed money for aging buildings that need basic improvements like roof repairs and heating system upgrades.
“For all of the Legions, our halls are getting older and they’re all needing a lot of repair,” said Gloria McKibbin, president of branch 261 in Tecumseh. “We don’t care what’s going on in the political arena, we just welcome the funding wherever it comes from.”
Branch 261 will receive $37,510, while branch 143 in Windsor will get $66,000. The Belle River branch will receive $12,032; branch 255 in Riverside gets $13,362, while the Walkerville Legion gets $16,775.
Watson is expected to appear before the cameras at another announcement at Fort Malden in Amherstburg.
