The Ravensong Aquatic Centre plans to improve its solar hot water heating capacity and make it more efficient.
The plan would be to repurpose the original hot water tank to collect and retain water pre-heated by existing solar panels on top of roof of the centre. It would improve the efficiency of the centre and will reduce the use of natural gas to heat the pool.
The project would require piping, heat exchangers, pumps as well as replacement or addition of other components. It would cost approximately $100,000, already allocated in the Regional District of Nanaimo’s five-year financial plan to be applied this year or in 2020.
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To bring down the cost to the RDN, grant funding has been sought earlier this year. An application was made to the Fraser Basin Council, which administers the Community Energy Leadership Program grant.
Last month, the RDN was informed that the Ravensong Solar Hot Water Project was shortlisted to the final round of grant application process. A decision is expected in August or September. At the RDN committee of the whole meeting on July 9, it was recommended the board endorse the project and it was carried.
If the aquatic centre is expanded in the future, the infrastructure would continue to be used to heat the swim tanks.