NEWPORT, N.H. (WCAX) – The town of Newport, New Hampshire, received a million dollars in state ARPA funds for its new community and recreation center. It’s the final piece of funding for a project that will eventually become a major community hub.
The $9 million project has been 30 years in the making, which officials say will attract more people to the area. Construction on the 19,000-square-foot community center is showing progress every day.
“I couldn’t be more excited, not only for me but for the whole community,” said Newport Recreation Director P.J. Lovely.
Newport’s current rec center is in an old armory built in the 1930′s. If you want to play basketball, there is barely room for benches. But that all changes with the new facility.
“Senior gymnastics taking place in the multipurpose room, volleyball taking place in half of the gymnasium, and pickleball on the other half — and you could still have a knitting club meeting in one of the other multipurpose rooms,” said Newport Town Manger Kyle Harris.
About half of the funding for the project comes from congressionally directed spending through the USDA. “We had commitments and donations previously and we went to the voters looking for a bond issue and they weren’t ready to support a bond issue but then that USDA funds filled that gap,” said Newport Finance Director Paul Brown.
The town will use the old armory for vehicle storage. Officials say the added amenities with the new community center — which includes a revamped ball field across the street — are crucial for long-term growth. “It’s important not just for Newport but for the greater area that we have a location that recreation activities and other town events can take place,” Harris said.
“Lots of activities for youth and adults, voting, a community place for all,” Lovely said.
Those activities should get underway here by this January, a good time in a New England winter to have a place to play indoors.