Council chambers were packed with supporters for a new YMCA as YMCA of Central East Ontario CEO David Allen updated Belleville Council on the progress of the new facility Monday.
Allen told council their goal is to make the community better and a legacy project like the Centre for Life, to be built at the old fairgrounds in the city’s west end, will do that.
The $27.4 million Centre for Life will be a unique partnership of five charitable and not-for-profit organizations under one roof, led by the YMCA.
The Y will be joined by Quinte Vitality and Social Support, Volunteer and Information Centre of Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Hastings, and Prince Edward Counties and Community Learning Alternatives.
Audio Player“You know we could all move into this building, all of our partners, and we’re already having discussions about it, and we could continue to do our own things, just in a new place. But that’s not good enough for any of us. We’re working together to create new programs that will change people’s lives. That’s where the magic will happen, is us working together, using our resources, using our strength, that will ultimately benefit our community.”
Allen says the new location will add to the revitalization of the west end of the city.
He adds they will keep the project as local as possible, using local companies and contractors.
Local company Taskforce Engineering has been hired as the project manager.
The YMCA’s current Victoria Street location, which has been running since 1964, no longer meets accessibility requirements and cannot accommodate the city’s growing population.
Allen says they currently serve about 600 people per day.
Audio Player“Our performers indicate that we will serve between 1,200 and 1,500 people per day. We will serve children. We will serve youth. We will serve adults, seniors, families from all backgrounds.”
Several councillors expressed praise for the proposed new facility and the importance the YMCA has in the community.
The funding agreements the YMCA has with the provincial and federal governments are good through 2027 but Allen says they hope to have the facility built before then.
The federal and provincial government will provide 73% of the funding for the Centre for Life with the rest to come from the $9 million Community Building Campaign.
The campaign, co-chaired by Ed Lehtinen and Kristin Crowe, has already raised almost 40% of its goal.
In his update, Allen requested council donate the fairgrounds land to the YMCA and allow the organization to sell the land the current Y sits on and putting the proceeds towards the Community Building Campaign.
Originally, the city agreed to a land exchange with the YMCA, receiving the six-acre building site at the fairgrounds and the city receiving the Victoria Avenue property.
Allen says that Victoria Avenue property has been valued at $1.1 million.
Audio Player“We’re asking you to donate the services, donate the land and we will use the proceeds of the land that’s zoned residential to put towards the project. A developer will buy those, they will build homes. And the city will realize permit fees, will realize new houses that will certainly have an impact on our housing.”
Council referred the matter to staff and did not take any action.
