A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT...

The Friends of the Oregon Coast Aquatic Park continue its work to build an aquatic facility.  We have never lost sight of our mission to provide the families and individuals of Lincoln county with a variety of aquatic and aquatic-related activities in a single state-of-the-art facility. 

Since the July meeting with the Newport City Council where the Council declined to vote on our request for room tax dollars, we have reviewed the  Business Plan and  have cemented plans for this facility to become an aquatic park - a destination for people from all over our state to enjoy.  Unlike aquatic parks and water parks being built by large hospitality groups, plans do not include an attached hotel facility.   That means you will not have to rent a room in order to play or swim  at the aquatic park. 

We have heard the concern that some of you feel the facility is too large - that Newport doesn't need something like this.  The  answer is that by enlarging the facility to create a destination, we have also created a facility which is capable of generating enough funding to sustain itself without subsidy.  Your opportunity to participate in your favorite swim activity will expand due to increased programming.

We are  working to procure land. We believe we can raise the construction money through a combination of grants and donations and have identified  potential sources totalling $12 million, but those monies cannot be procured until we have land.  Taxpayers will not be required to fund either construction or operations.

We are creating a destination aquatic park.    The destination aquatic park will contain a variety of both wet and dry activities, providing the entire family (including nonswimmers) with something to do.   Businesses all up and down the coast will benefit from increased occupancy, food and retail sales.  Most of all, local swim enthusiasts will have a new, state-of-the-art  aquatic park in which to swim.

Katherine M. Pedersen

Let's Go Swimming!