CARI sports complex sells naming rights to Bell Aliant

The CARI sports complex on the UPEI campus in Charlottetown will be known as the Bell Aliant Centre starting this week.

The telecommunications company has purchased the naming rights to the sports centre for 10 years. Some signage on the complex has already been changed.

"The changeover includes both the exterior signage on the canopies as well as a new sign that is going to appear on the University Avenue side of the complex," said Sue Fraser, general manager of the sports complex.

"The MacLauchlan family did naming into perpetuity for both of the ice pads. So of course it's now Bell Aliant Centre, which is home to the MacLauchlan arenas."

The price Bell Aliant paid for the rights has not been made public.

Fraser said the two sides have been working on the agreement since 2014.

In December 2014, the City of Charlottetown signed a new contract for phone service with Bell Aliant. Coun. Melissa Hilton said at the time that part of the deal was significant funding for the CARI complex.

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Money generated by the deal will be used to fund capital projects, which Frasersaid are needed as the facility starts to show its age.

The pool and rink complex opened in 2003.