Although it’s been open only a few months, the Newport Aquatic Center already is a destination in the community. With a 25-yard competition pool, a warm-water recreation pool and space for 300 spectators, the center’s recreational swimming, lap swimming, water fitness programming and special events attract visitors from Yachats to Lincoln City.

“I’ve had multiple residents tell me the aquatic center is the best thing to happen to Newport in 30 years,” said Tim Gross, public works director, City of Newport. “The center has been so popular that we’re looking at ways to leverage the facility to bring more events to Newport.”

Unlike the 50-year-old pool the aquatic center replaced, the new facility is a model of efficiency and a dream to maintain. Two high-efficiency natural gas condensing boilers with variable frequency drives and multiple heat exchangers keep pool water at a consistent temperature. “The system is more responsive,” Gross said. “We’re able to lower the temperature before a swim meet in about a day; before it took days.”

Energy Trust provided the city with a $21,000 cash incentive toward the cost of the energy-efficient boilers, which are saving Newport an estimated $11,000 in annual energy costs. As Gross put it: “We wanted to make the facility as energy efficient as possible, and took advantage of all opportunities available.”