Grant awarded to Jarstad Aquatic Center

Citizens of the greater Bremerton area can look forward to a newly renovated Jarstad Aquatic Center, thanks to a federal grant awarded to Bremerton Parks and Recreation.

In order for Bremerton Parks and Recreation to receive the grant, they had to be approved by the Recovery Action Program, which Jim Spencer of Parks and Rec describes as “a long process and one that takes a considerable amount of time.”

Spencer attributes the success of the requested grant to not only his staff at the Parks and Rec, but also Gloria Shinn of the National Park Service, and Congressman Dicks.

The $182,280 federal grant, awarded to the center by the Park Service’s Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Grant program, will be used primarily to install a new HVAC system in the building.

The current HVAC system allows condensation to build up and negatively affects the air quality of the building. “(The new HVAC system) would provide better air quality which is not as good as we like it,” said Spencer. The Jarstad Center is tentatively scheduled to be closed around Labor Day for about two weeks, to not only accommodate the installation of the new heating and ventilation system but also to allow time for annual repairs such as draining and cleaning the pool.

The National Park Service Urban Recreation Grant Awards awarded a similar grant to the city of Seattle. In all, 71 cities and counties around the country were awarded a total of just under $29 million.

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