County supervisors reconsider, approve money for local YMCA
Rockbridge County supervisors voted 3-2 Monday night to give the Rockbridge Area YMCA $10,000 to complete another study of its plan to move to the old Kmart building in Lexington.
The approval came several months after the previous Board of Supervisors denied a request for $10,000 from the Y. Three new supervisors were elected in November.
The study, which will cost an estimated $40,000 to $45,000, will gauge financial support for the YMCA when it changes buildings and upgrades its services. Lexington has already offered $10,000 to fund the study, while Buena Vista has contributed $5,000. The new facility could open as early as January 2010.
In their request to the supervisors, YMCA Board President Bob Huch, Director of Programming Eric Wheeler and spokeswoman Dianne Herrick emphasized what the YMCA offers the community.
"We are not just about recreation, we are about programs to build kids, families and communities," said Huch. "That's why we board members are involved in this program."
When the Y opened its current location on Walker Street in Lexington in 2004, it had 500 members and offered fewer resources to the community than it does today. Now, membership is up to 1,700, and the organization wants to offer more programming.
YMCAs in nearby Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Alleghany and Roanoke counties are growing rapidly, and the board members are confident the Rockbridge Area Y will continue to grow as well.
While some county supervisors expressed concern over whether the expanded Y would intrude on the responsibilities of the Rockbridge Area Recreational Organization (RARO), Wheeler said the YMCA goes beyond offering athletics. The Y also provides childcare, education programs and healthy lifestyle education.
Wheeler said that the new Y would also offer a family fun pool, which would differ from the lap pools now available in the area.
Produced by
Washington and Lee
journalism students.
Lead Supervisors:
Prof. Brian
Richardson
Prof. Phylissa
Mitchell
Editing supervisor:
Prof. Pamela Lucke
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd