YMCA to open health center downtown

Posted

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - Another cardio workout center is coming to neighborhood near you.

If you live on the the city's east side, you'll soon be able to access the YMCA downtown, according to Fort Madison YMCA executive director Ryan Wilson.

WILSON

Wilson told the Fort Madison City Council, during a new community update section of the meetings, that the YMCA will be signing a lease at 802 Avenue G, where The Bookmark and The Avenue were located.

"That's now going to be ours. Barker Financial and the YMCA have come to a partnership where we will occupy the entire main floor. On the west side is our jiu jitsu and gymnastics. On the east side will be cardio and weight equipment in the front," Wilson said.

The back area that used to be a hair salon will become some sort of yoga, tap or balet studio, he said.

Wilson said the YMCA will manage the property and will work on the projects, but tenants at the Old Lee County apartments and the Kingsley guests will have access to the facility as well.

He said current YMCA members will also have access to the facility.

Wilson said he hopes the future of the YMCA includes some sort of all-day child care. He said it's the top inquiry he gets at the YMCA, but he said space is also a concern.

The current 32,000 square foot facility was built in 1975 and Wilson said he's using every inch of the facility. He said a capital campaign will launch in the next two or three years to expand the current building to the east.

"If my vision comes true, it will be an addition with a basketball court multipurpose courts with an indoor walking track and a studio of some sort," Wilson said.

The current gymnasium could then be possibly partitioned off into classroom space for all-day child care.

childcare, downtown, expansion, fort madison, Pen City Current, YMCA

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here