YMCAs Announce Developments, Mergers and Closures in Kentucky, North Carolina and Missouri

The Blue Springs Family YMCA, Blue Springs, Missouri, will close its doors on Oct. 30 after 20 years of business. The YMCA of Greater Kansas City, of which Blue Springs was a part, has developed a strategic plan to better align its services with the community's needs and will find a new location for a new branch in eastern Jackson County, according to the Y. The vacated building will be utilized by the Blue Springs R-IV School District for its swim and dive teams. The Y is also in the process of a $35 million renovation and construction project to convert the Lyric Theatre in downtown Kansas City into a new Y branch, the Kirk Family Community Center, that will be complete by the spring of 2021.

The Pikeville Area YMCA, Pikeville, Kentucky, is making progress on a 17,000-square-foot expansion to its existing wellness center, the Y recently announced. The new wellness center will add an extra 1,300-square-feet of space to the existing strength training room, as well as add family restrooms, more men and women's locker rooms, a walking track extension and an aquatics area with indoor competitive pool and warm water pools. The expansion will be completed in May 2020.

The YMCA of Rowan County and Cannon Memorial YMCA, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, will merge on Jan. 1, 2020, and will renamed Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA with branch locations in China Grove, Salisbury, Rockwell, West Cabarrus, Concord, Harrisburg and Kannapolis. Rowan County Y CEO Jamie Morgan will be president of the combined facilities, according to the Y. Cannon Memorial YMCA CEO Ron Davis will retire in January. The two Ys have shared services since 2013 and collectively will serve more than 53,000 members, employ more than 670 people and have a $12 million operating budget.

The Geneva Lakes Family YMCA, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has purchased 112 acres of land situated two miles south of its current location with plans to design a new facility with board, staff and community input over the winter season, the Y announced. The purchase was approved by the Geneva Lakes Family YMCA board of directors and funded by gifts from the board, former board and committee members. The newly proposed facility will have offer space for fitness, aquatics, camps, sports programs, childcare and parking. The acreage also offers the Y space for future growth. The Y’s goal is to enter a capital campaign in spring 2021 with possible construction to begin later in the year once the current facility is sold. The Y has been in the Geneva Lakes area for more than 130 years and serves approximately 6,900 members and 60 communities.

The Schottland Family Branch YMCA, Pittsford, New York, has opened its new 140,000-square-foot facility. To fund the facility, more than $18 million was raised from private and public dollars. In addition to standard amenities, the Y will offer two University of Rochester Medical Center practices inside the branch, according to WXXI News.

Club Industry's YMCA Briefs features recent notable openings, real estate transactions and renovations among American YMCA facilities. Do you have news to share with us? Send your news, tips or story ideas to [email protected]. You can also connect with us on Facebook, on Twitter and on LinkedIn.