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October 27, 2025 in NewsUncategorized

Summit Centre Grand Opening Ceremony – News Release

News Release

Hampton, New Brunswick, October 26, 2025

— The town of Hampton reaches a significant milestone in the community’s journey towards its new multipurpose facility. On October 26, the Summit Centre, a hub for wellness, recreation and community connection, officially launches with a Grand Opening event.

“This is an amazing achievement for our community. After years of hard work, careful planning, and fundraising, this beautiful new facility is ready to serve our community.” said Mayor Bob Doucet. “We’ve named it the Summit Centre not just because it’s the highest point in town, but because it’s a symbol of the perseverance, and determination of our community to reach this incredible new height.”

The new centre includes an NHL-size rink, walking track, community room, canteen/kitchen, panoramic-view patio, soccer field, and a dog park. Design features focus on accessibility and opportunities for community connection. The centre also includes a specially commissioned artwork by Emma Hassencahl-Perley which marks the town’s first indigenous public art. Indigenous place names from the local area identify the 6 dressing rooms; accompanying QR codes link to audio recordings by the Kehkimin Language school that provide pronunciation and definition of each place name.

Quotes

“The opening of the Summit Centre marks an exciting milestone for Hampton and the region,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Gilles LePage, who is also minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation. “By investing in community infrastructure, we’re improving the quality of life of residents today, while laying the foundation for future growth and opportunity for young people.”

The Honourable Gilles LePage, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation

“The new Summit Centre brings a state-of-the-art multipurpose facility to Hampton, where residents of the community and surrounding areas will be able to gather and enjoy a wide variety of activities. The Government of Canada is proud to invest in recreational facilities like this that help build stronger and more inclusive communities.”

The Honourable Wayne Long, Secretary of State for Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions and Member of Parliament for Saint John–Kennebecasis

Quick facts

The $28-million facility was made possible with $8.3 million in funding from the Government of Canada and $6 million in funding from the Province of New Brunswick through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This joint Canada-New Brunswick Integrated Bilateral Agreement focuses on improved access to quality community, cultural and recreational infrastructure in Canadian municipalities.

The project also saw an impressive $4 million raised through a capital campaign, with donations and dedications from local businesses, residents and community groups helping to shape the future of this important community space.

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact:

Riley Cosman – Communications Coordinator, Town of Hampton. Email: riley@hampton.ca

 

May 1, 2025 in NewsUncategorized

Hampton Centre Set to Launch Public Campaign Phase with $2.2 Million Raised and Major Community Matching Challenge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2025

Hampton, NB – The town of Hampton and the Hampton Centre Campaign Cabinet are proud to announce the official launch of the public phase of the Hampton Centre Capital Campaign. With $2.2 million raised to date, including two major gifts of $250,000 each from The John E. Irving Family (Isles Foundation) and Brenda & David Lutz, K.C., the campaign is moving into this new phase with strong momentum and a renewed call for public involvement.

“We believe in the power of community and the importance of stepping up at the right moment,” said David Lutz, K.C. “We hope our support will encourage others to join us in helping make this Centre a reality – not just for today, but for the generations that will follow.”

Hampton is excited to publicize that the new facility will now be known as the Summit Centre. A summit is not just the highest point of a mountain, but a symbol of perseverance, achievement, and the view from the top. It’s where the journey of effort culminates in something extraordinary. A place where you can stand united, empowered, and inspired. Just like reaching the peak of a mountain, the Summit Centre represents the best of our community, a destination where possibilities are limitless.

Scheduled to open in Fall 2025, the Summit Centre will be a 44,000-square-foot multi-use facility that provides residents of all ages with year-round access to recreational and wellness programs. The Centre will feature an NHL-sized ice surface, indoor walking track, community lounge, community room, and outdoor gathering spaces. Designed with full accessibility and inclusion in mind, the facility is expected to welcome over 50,000 visitors annually.

“This is a pivotal moment for our town,” said Mayor Robert Doucet. “The Summit Centre is more than a building – it’s a promise to future generations. Thanks to the generosity of early donors and the leadership of our campaign cabinet, we are closer than ever to seeing this vision come to life.”

Fundraising support for the project also includes significant contributions from the Moulton Family & Hampton Pharmacy, Carleton-Fundy Mutual Insurance Company, Sir James Dunn Foundation, MacMurray Foundation, Robert & Ann McLeod Family, Hovey Insurance & Financial Services/Western Financial Group Inc., and many other local champions.

“The support we’ve received during the initial phase of this campaign has been extraordinary,” said Mark Bettle,Chair of Hampton’s Summit Centre Campaign Cabinet. “From the very beginning, we’ve seen how deeply this project resonates with people. Today, we’re inviting the entire community to take part in the final stretch – and we’re doing so with an incredible opportunity to double their impact.”

As the public phase officially begins, the campaign is launching a Seat Dedication Matching Challenge, thanks to a $268,500 matching gift commitment from the J.T. Clark Family Foundation. Beginning May 1st, residents, families, and businesses are invited to dedicate all of the 537 arena seats in the Centre with a $500 donation per seat. If every seat is dedicated by July 31st, the Foundation will match the donation dollar-for-dollar – doubling the community’s contribution.

“We are proud to support the Summit Centre and the people behind it,” said a spokesperson for the J.T. Clark Family Foundation. “This matching gift challenge is about inspiring people to act together. It’s about turning hundreds of individual contributions into a shared success story – and we believe this community is more than capable of rising to the challenge.”

The Summit Centre is made possible through a collaboration between all levels of government and the local community. Confirmed funding includes:

  • $8.3 million – Government of Canada
  • $6 million – Province of New Brunswick
  • $10 million – Town of Hampton
  • $2.2 million – Private contributions to date through the capital campaign

How to Give

Hampton is pleased to partner with the Greater Saint John Community Foundation to facilitate the acceptance of online donations for the public phase of the campaign, as well as for the acceptance of shares for larger donations.

To sponsor a seat and double your impact through the J.T. Clark Foundation Matching Challenge, visit www.hampton.ca/fundraising. Community members can also contribute one-time donations online.

For individual sponsorship opportunities and naming opportunities for rooms and key spaces, contact Jennifer Gendron, Capital Campaign Coordinator at 506-832-6065 or email jennifer@hampton.ca.

For media inquiries or to arrange interviews, please contact: Riley Cosman, Communications Coordinator at 832-6065 or via email at riley@hampton.ca