CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield YMCA’s expansion is only weeks from completion and should open sometime in May, said Don Herres, chief executive officer of the YMCA, Thursday during an in-person interview and walk-through of the 20,000-square foot new addition with GantDaily.com.
The YMCA broke ground on its $5 million expansion project last May, which includes the addition of a competitive, full-sized swimming pool, a full-sized basketball court, new men’s and women’s locker rooms and a new lobby and entrance area.
A new addition will provide more than its facilities, as additional programs come with it. This summer, the YMCA plans to start a summer camp for children, while the competitive-sized pool will be used for water aerobics, expanded swimming lessons and possibly a master’s level swim team.
“I hope to see it come about,” Herres said of the latter for the older members. “It’s also going to allow us to host swim meets at our own facilities here. It’ll bring people into the downtown, and there will be offshoots for our downtown merchants and restaurants.
“With the gymnasium, I feel there’s an opportunity to bring in any type of activity. It’s very large. It’ll be used for the (usual) basketball and volleyball, but we’re looking to start floor hockey, rugby, gymnastics and tumbling as well as new programs at the pre-school level.”
In addition to a matching façade for the old YMCA building, there are renovation plans for its interior facilities. The old gymnasium will be completely re-done, and the fitness center will expand on the second floor. The free-weight equipment will be relocated from downstairs to the upstairs fitness center.
“It’s all going to be on one floor rather than having people going up and down stairs. It will provide individuals with the opportunity to interact with other members. They can see what others are doing,” Herres said.
“They can exchange fitness goals and will be able to cross-train. They’ll all be together, not spread out. It’s going to take fitness training to another level here. We’re lacking some of those opportunities right now, I think.”
While its main entry is moving to East Locust Street, it will make the YMCA more handicapped accessible. Before the expansion project got under way, members were greeted by a split-level entrance and “had to climb stairs right away.”
Herres said it created difficulties for any member who was disabled or injured, or who came with babies and small children. When the new entrance opens, members can check in at the lobby and can easily navigate to the gymnasium and pool areas without the use of stairs.
An elevator was also installed to eliminate the stairs for these members who also wish to access the facilities on other floors. “It will make access to each of the four floors easier for them, and hopefully, it gets some more people in here. We saw it as an issue that needed to be addressed,” he said.
According to him, discussions of the YMCA project got under way in 2002. YMCA officials considered new locations for its facilities for approximately one-and-a-half years. However, upon completing a community survey, it was discovered members liked its downtown location.
During planning for the YMCA’s future beyond tomorrow, it became apparent a full-sized swimming pool and basketball court were needed. YMCA officials then devised a strategic plan for acquiring the East Locust Street property, neighboring its old building.
YMCA officials embarked upon its capital campaign in 2005 and $1.8 million was raised during its first campaign, Herres said. The project also secured state funding, smaller grants, etc., and, in all, raised approximately $5 million.
Herres didn’t have a firm date for the opening of the new addition, which can’t yet be shown to current and or prospective members. However, he indicated “right now” is the best time to join the YMCA, and a family could see a savings of $75 on its upfront costs of getting started.
But the YMCA will not turn any prospective member away if the person is unable to pay for the cost of membership. Local campaigns provide the funding to offer scholarships so these individuals are able to use the facilities.
“There aren’t any excuses for people not joining the YMCA,” Herres said.