Sports training centre to be built in Winnipeg's Exchange District

Construction on a massive sportstraining complex and performance centre in Winnipeg will begin this summer.

TheQualicoTraining Centre will be built next to theSport for Life Centre onPacific Avenuein the Exchange District.

The120,000-square-foot training centre, which will beavenue for 2017 Canada Games, willfeaturea multi-use court space, an indoor running track,strength andcardiocentres.

The announcement was made Tuesdayby Sport Manitobapresident andCEOJeffHnatiuk.

"TheQualicoTraining Centre will host community programming for more than 100,000 kids, youth and adults every year," he said.

"Helping these kids to learn, grow and be active for life. It ensures everyone, from our littlest kids to our high performance athletes, can participate in sport and benefit from all that it offers on the field and in life."

The Sport for Life Centre opened in 2010 in a renovated 100-year-old heritage building on Pacific Avenue.

That 84,000-square-foot facilityincludes the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame as well as asportmedicine centre, which offers a wide range of services massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, sport psychology, nutritional counsellingand othersfor athletes of all levels as well as the general public.

Shortly after itopened, afundraising campaign was launched for thetraining complex and performance centre.

Qualico's donation forthe training centre was not made public.