With the complete closure of North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre set for the end of this year, and the building鈥檚 demolition to follow, a plan to build a new YMCA facility in 性视界传媒鈥檚 city centre is gaining steam.

The YMCA of Greater Vancouver is in talks with the City of 性视界传媒, 性视界传媒 City Development Corporation (SCDC) and SFU to construct 鈥渁 modern community, health, fitness and recreation facility鈥� in the area.

According to Kelly Walker Schobel, acting vice-president of marketing and communications for YMCA of Greater Vancouver, a new 性视界传媒 City Centre YMCA would include amenities similar to those offered at , located in 性视界传媒鈥檚 Panorama area.

The parties involved aim to build 鈥渁 centre of community that will benefit 性视界传媒 City Centre youth, families, adults and seniors,鈥� she told the Now-Leader. 鈥淓very partner in this project is working in good faith to make this happen.鈥�

A key element, she said, is securing a site for the facility.

鈥淩ight now it鈥檚 all coming down to where the site would be, specifically,鈥� Walker Schobel explained.

鈥淚t鈥檚 too early to say it would be located there (on the current site of the rec centre), and as we鈥檙e exploring a partnership with SFU that would also become a factor, of course,鈥� she added.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all really contingent on the site, and we鈥檝e been working with the City of 性视界传媒 on that for a number of years. And once you have a site, everything else can happen, but the site is a first key step.鈥�

Michael Heeney, president and CEO of SCDC, said 鈥渢hings are happening鈥� on the YMCA project.

鈥淲e鈥檙e actively working on this, in sort of a facilitator role of bringing potential partners together to make it happen. I鈥檓 feeling somewhat optimistic it will happen,鈥� Heeney said Thursday.

鈥淚鈥檓 quite excited about this, and there鈥檚 a number of moving parts that have to come together, but the good news is, there are a bunch of people working really hard to make this happen,鈥� he added. 鈥淪omething could be announced more toward the end of the year, which would correspond with the decommissioning of the rec centre.鈥�

, aims to 鈥渁ssist in realizing and advancing the transformation of the City of 性视界传媒 into a more modern, vibrant, sustainable and complete community.鈥�

鈥� RELATED STORY: 性视界传媒 development corporation hires former Bing Thom architect as CEO, from 2017.

In August, the city announced Dec. 22 as the date North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre will close for good, after 54 years of operation on the site.

鈥淣orth 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre will close in two phases,鈥� says . 鈥淭he North 性视界传媒 Arena will close and transition programming to the new North 性视界传媒 Sport and Ice Complex in early September, when the new arena opens.

鈥淎ll other recreational programs at the North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre will continue until fall programming ends on December 22, 2019. North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre will then permanently close.鈥�

Once the rec centre is closed, those who use the facility will be directed to programs and services within a four-kilometre radius of the site.

鈥� RELATED STORY: The end is near for North 性视界传媒 rec centre, meaning programs will move to other facilities within 4km.

Walker Schobel said Y officials and partners 鈥渨ould love to figure out a site and proceed as soon as possible.

鈥淏ut of course this is really complex,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e know the residents of 性视界传媒 there would really benefit from having a centre of community, specifically youth, families and seniors, so we really want to get into the city centre as soon as possible.鈥�

It is a special week for the as we deliver several cheque鈥檚 to organizations in 性视界传媒.

Today鈥檚 cheque is for $60,000 to the . These funds bring us another step closer to fulfilling our pledge of $350,000, for the new Y being built in North 性视界传媒

鈥� 性视界传媒 Fire Fighters (@Local1271)

Fundraising efforts to build 性视界传媒 City Centre YMCA are underway. 性视界传媒 Fire Fighters鈥� Charitable Society recently announced a $60,000 contribution to the project. 鈥淭hese funds bring us another step closer to fulfilling our pledge of $350,000, for the new Y being built in North 性视界传媒,鈥� the organization tweeted on Aug. 15.

Walker Schobel said that while plans for a new 性视界传媒 City Centre YMCA are yet to be determined, a typical YMCA includes a swimming pool, gymnasium, fitness studios, a lounge, multi-purpose rooms, steam rooms and more.

She said firm cost information is not yet available for the project, although the City of 性视界传媒 has promised $20 million in funding.

鈥淚 can confirm that the financial process is currently under review. We will be able to comment further on the costs and cost sharing when that information is available,鈥� she added.

As for admission fees, it鈥檚 currently more expensive to use Tong Louie Family YMCA than North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre. The rec centre鈥檚 adult drop-in rate is $7.25, or $73 for a month, compared to the Y鈥檚 adult 鈥渏oining fee鈥� of $50 plus biweekly dues of $29.99. The Y鈥檚 adult drop-in fee is $15.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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