County staff may study the feasibility of locating a YMCA facility at a proffered site in Broadlands or other sites in the county, as recommended by the Finance Government Services Committee at its Feb. 24 meeting.
The proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2004-08 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) includes a project to construct a 25,000-square-foot facility at the Broadlands Park site, which spans 15 acres near Route 659 and Truro Parish Road. The design phase of the project is scheduled to begin in FY-05 with construction in FY-06, costing an estimated $7.6 million.
The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington proposes building a 60,000-square-foot facility at the site, a proposal that would allow the county to eliminate the county-funded recreation center from the CIP. In exchange, the county would provide land for the facility, which is similar in concept to the Reston YMCA.
“To start this kind of effort is hard to do without land,” said a Metropolitan Washington YMCA representative, adding that YMCA will have to fund-raise the cost of the facility. “Donors are not interested until we have land.”
YMCA Loudoun County currently is located in a storefront facility that provides before and after-school care, day camps and community-based programs. YMCA proposes developing a full-service facility with a gymnasium, wellness center, indoor pool, teen room and child care center, among other items.
Board members said the facility could also serve as the county’s teen center, a future county project goal.
“It’s my view we should include in that package provisions for a teen center of some form, rather than the county building one,” said Supervisor James Burton (I-Mercer).
The Finance and Government Services Committee forwarded the recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to take a final vote. The board will determine whether to task staff to research the issue and hold discussions with YMCA staff.
<1b>— Shelley Widhalm