Sudbury's Place des Arts gets $3.5M from province

Sudbury's arts community is welcoming the province's announcement of $3.5 million towards the construction of a cultural centre in downtown Sudbury.

The Place des Artswill create an artistic space for the area's Francophones, as well as the wider community, the province said in its budget.

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"Ontario has recently established as one of its priorities community hub initiatives, and a community hub is a perfect way to describe the Place des Arts project," Martin Lajeunesse, treasurer of the Francophone arts and culture hub said.

"So the stars were aligned for us."

Lajeunesse said he had been in talks with Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault to secure provincial funds, but didn't think there'd be any money available in this budget.

The announcement means the Place des Arts has reached a third of its construction budget of $30 million, Lajeunesse said.

The group is still waiting for money from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and the federal government.

"We're ecstatic and it's a wonderful surprise that Minister Thibeault kept a secret from us to work with his cabinet colleagues and the provincial government to include this news in thebudget, so we're just thrilled," Lajeunesse said.

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