City Councilors approved $122,795 last Tuesday to be spent on new exercise equipment at the New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center.

The purchase includes new treadmills, stationary bicycles, and elliptical machines. All of the new units will have LCD screens and will have Bluetooth capability to connect with smartphones. The machines offer a variety of interactive exercise programs. New weight-lifting machines and weight sets are also part of the purchase.

In February of last year, City councilors approved $800,000 in upgrades, including a larger gym area and child care facilities. The City put the brakes on that part of the project, but did approve the removal of a large section of plumbing that would keep the upgrades from moving forward. The City has been discussing ways to improve the accessibility and competitiveness of the facility in light of its low membership rates within the City.

Councilors have previously said that they think the quality of the facility rivals those of much larger municipalities and have sought public-private partnerships in an effort to keep the facility in the black.