OTTAWA - The Sens Foundation, in partnership with the Ottawa Senators and the City of Ottawa, officially broke ground on the second phase of its community rinks initiative when the Sens RINC (Recreational Investments in Neighbourhood Communities) Project officially got underway with a ceremony this morning at Jules Morin Park.

In addition to funding stemming from the joint partnership, the Sens RINC Project at Jules Morin Park is also being supported by respective $100,000 contributions on behalf of the annual Maharaja’s Ball and 24 h of ski of Tremblant.

Senators president Cyril Leeder joined Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Councillor Mathieu Fleury, Sens Foundation president Danielle Robinson, Maharaja’s Ball chair Nalin Bhargava, and 24 h of ski of Tremblant event producer Simon St-Arnaud to break ground on the project.

“This new community rink will reinvigorate Jules Morin Park and the surrounding neighbourhood by creating a lively setting in the winter months and by providing a recreational asset in the summertime,” said Mayor Jim Watson. “The City is excited to be a partner on this project, which promotes physical activity, recreation and social development within our community.”

Located in Ottawa’s lowertown district, the revitalization of Jules Morin Park will include the installation of hockey dasher boards, fencing, hockey nets in the winter and lacrosse nets in the summer. Managed by the City of Ottawa, the free Sens RINC Project’s recreational spaces will offer skating and hockey clinics as well as summer sporting programs for hundreds of children and youth.

“Today’s ground breaking ceremony represents a significant step forward for the Sens Foundation, the Senators and our partners,” said Robinson. “The Sens RINC Project encompasses great teamwork and a mutual desire to see marked improvement in recreational opportunities in at-risk neighbourghoods throughout the region. We look ahead with excitement to the completion of this project and the ensuing lifestyle benefits it will represent for local residents.”

During the Senators 20th anniversary season, the Sens Foundation and Senators committed to building 20 outdoor rinks in at-risk neighbourhoods in Ottawa, Gatineau and the surrounding regions. The groundbreaking and subsequent construction of the Sens RINC at Jules Morin Park marks the second of the 20 rink committement, following the opening of the Rink of Dreams at Marion Dewar Plaza earlier this year. The Sens Foundation, along with donors and its partners, will have invested more than $6.5 million into the national capital region upon successful completion of the Sens RINC project.

For more information about the Sens Foundation, visit www.sensfoundation.com.

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