As one of the most popular local destinations for birthday parties, group events or just for an evening of fun, Sparetime Recreation continues to put smiles on everyone’s face.

In addition to the happy customers, owner Andy Couture also is smiling. Not only are his customers happy, but he is thrilled about the impact natural gas will have on his business.

Additional Photos

Connected. Summit Natural Gas of Maine installed this natural gas meter outside of the Sparetime Recreation building in Waterville. Courtesy Summit Natural Gas

While customers continually rack up high scores in the arcade or on the bowling lanes, it’s the lower energy costs that Couture knows will benefit his customers and the entire community that rack up the high scores for him.

“When I heard Summit was coming to Waterville, I knew I wanted to switch as soon as I could. We use natural gas at our location in Lewiston, and it has been great. You pay only for what you use instead of buying in bulk, which makes it more cost effective for my business. In addition, natural gas is an efficient fuel. It costs a lot less, and the price is more stable,” said Couture.

The process to switch to natural gas was very easy. Couture stated, “The first thing I did was get on Summit’s website, and I connected with Lynn McGinnis, one of their commercial sales representatives.

“She was very helpful in explaining the process and providing me with tons of information, including the many ways that natural gas is not only safe but better for the environment.

“I learned a lot during our initial consultation, and she did a great job keeping me in the loop during the construction process. She also explained how the pricing is different from oil and how that will help my bottom line. Plus, I found out that I was eligible for around $9,000 in rebates.”

In addition to Sparetime Recreation, Summit Natural Gas of Maine also is serving Inland Hospital and Thomas College, both in Waterville. Residential customers from Augusta, Fairfield, Gardiner, Hallowell, Madison and Waterville are now connected to the Summit pipeline and are using natural gas.

More than 1,800 residential customers have signed up with Summit for natural gas service and to benefit from the efficiency rebates available.

“When you think about what Summit is doing and the savings they are bringing to people and businesses in Waterville and in the region, it is a win-win for everyone. The less people have to pay for energy and heat, the more discretionary income they will have, and that money is going right back into the local economy, including places like our facility,” said Couture.

So what will Couture do with the anticipated annual savings?

He says that he will use his anticipated annual savings ą around $12,000 ą to make improvements to the bowling alley, including new TV monitors and carpeting.

He also has plans to pave the parking lot. For all these projects, he says, the money will go to local contractors and businesses.

The benefits of natural gas for Sparetime Recreation extend past simply saving on heating bills each winter.

Eventually, Couture plans to switch the kitchen over to natural gas to increase his savings.

Sparetime Recreation, the place where the smiles just keep on coming.

DID YOU KNOW?

98.5 percent of the natural gas we use in the United States comes from North America, and supplies are abundant, making natural gas today’s environmental energy choice.

Increased use of natural gas can help address several environmental concerns simultaneously, including smog, acid rain and greenhouse gas emissions.

CONNECT WITH
SUMMIT NATURAL GAS OF MAINE

Summit Natural Gas of Maine is proud to bring safe and affordable natural gas service to Sparetime Recreation and communities in southern and central Maine.

To learn about our service areas, more information about natural gas or tips on how you can help reduce your carbon footprint, visit www.summit
naturalgasmaine.com or “like” us on Facebook.

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