VIRGINIA BEACH
The YMCA of South Hampton Roads wants to start planning a new recreational facility in Virginia Beach. All the organization needs is a $5 million assist from the city.
The YMCA is asking Virginia Beach taxpayers to pick up half the $10 million tab for constructing a center for its members with such amenities as an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium and a teen center.
The proposed facility would front Princess Anne Road on Sentara Healthcare's campus and serve the growing residential neighborhoods near the center of Virginia Beach, said Chuck Harris, the president of the YMCA South Hampton Roads.
"From our standpoint, it's an underserved part of our region," Harris said. "It's good timing. Sentara is ready. We're certainly ready. We hope the city feels the same way."
Harris has suggested that the city contribute $500,000 a year for 10 years to the project, starting in 2010.
Some city officials said timing couldn't be worse. Virginia Beach has tried to tighten spending because of the sluggish economy, said Nick Anoia, chairman of the city's Parks and Recreation Commission.
"At this tough financial time, we didn't see that this would come across as a good business deal," Anoia said. "If we had the extra funds sitting around, it would have been a lot easier to support it."
The commission, a City Council advisory board, has recommended against spending public money on the project at this time.
There are other priorities, including building a city recreation center for the western Bayside neighborhood and
expanding the Seatack and Bow Creek facilities, a May 8 letter from the commission to council members states.
Residents in western Bayside have been waiting for a recreation center for years, and the city needs to focus on funding that project, Councilman Jim Wood said.
"We've had a very vocal group that needs one," Wood said. "You have to take a look at where the needs are right now."
Councilwoman Barbara Henley, who represents the Princess Anne district, said a center at Bayside is important, but so is the YMCA proposal.
The master plan for the Sentara campus, developed about six years ago, has always called for a YMCA. The $5 million investment would be cheaper for the city than building and operating a new recreation center, which that area will eventually need, Henley said.
The YMCA is willing to offer Virginia Beach residents a cheaper membership rate for the city's participation, Henley said.
"I think we ought to look at it," said Councilwoman Reba McClanan. "We can't continue to spend money the way we're spending on rec centers."
If the city can't contribute $5 million, the YMCA will have to reconsider the size of the facility and its amenities, Harris said.
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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Public funds
Why in the world would public funds pay for private ventures? I'm not a resident of Va Bch, but if I were, I'd be scolding the City Council right now...
no way!
Why should VA Beach have to pay for this? Drive just a wee bit up Princess Anne Rd and there's a Gold's Gym. It's an excellent facility.
When will it end?
Why can't the residents of the area use the existing rec centers (in particular, Kempsville or Princess Anne)?
First Seatack, and now apparently the Newtown Road area, get their own rec centers. Now the city is going to be funding half of a YMCA? The Y's in the area have reciprocal usage privileges....so residents of other cities (who might work in the area) will get to use the facilities for the same cost as city residents (whose taxes funded half of it)? That doesn't seem right.
EXCELLENT POINT
Ed!!! Hope the city is reading.
Why....
does VB need all these recreational facilities, parks, running spaces, bike paths, sportsplexes etc.???? There's the BEACH!!! Can't folks go run or play ball on the sand, bike on the boardwalk, and swim in the OCEAN for exercise and leave our tax money alone???
Oh....that's right....the oceanfront isn't for us locals.
No No No!
There are many reasons for not having the city pay into this. For one, the YMCA does not cater to the people who need the facilities and cannot afford them, just look at where they are located, Hilltop, Ghent, etc. There are none near areas like Seatack and Campostella. Second, this is more like a private club where the fees are outrageous. Last time I checked, the fees for a single person were almost $1,000 per year. Third, it is a religious organization, the mission is "To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all." http://www.ymcamission.org/ This would be government supporting a religious club that promotes Christianity.
........
Sentara can pay for it.
Can Life Imitate Art?
Probably not. Still:
How about trimming that 3.15 to 5 million dollar (estimates vary)pedestrian bridge from the Town Center to Pembroke Mall to $2 to $2.5 million? Then put the savings into this project as seed money? I firmly believe we need the span there for safety reasons, but how much can it cost to build a pedestrian bridge?
Anyone remember the movie "Dave" where Kevin Kline trims the pork from some pet projects to help the homeless? While greatly over simplified, the lesson there is spend the public's money wisely.
It's sad that our representatives have spent millions on nothing and have nothing left to spend on thousands.
taxpayers again??
"The proposed facility would front Princess Anne Road on Sentara Healthcare's campus and serve the growing residential neighborhoods near the center of Virginia Beach"
The above cut from the article....there's the answer to who should pay -- those who USE it.
Wrong Comment
"I think we ought to look at it," said Councilwoman Reba McClanan. "We can't continue to spend money the way we're spending on rec centers."
I think she meant to say we can't continue to spend hoards of money for private ventures with no regard to taxpayers views, wishes, desires, or needs. Anyone notice this is another benefit for "the Sentara campus" Why is it anytime Sentara barks, VB council cowers?
I can join a rec center for $55/year or use it for $7/day. Will the YMCA offer the same rate for using taxpayer funds?
the members pay not nonmembers
I think the story stating the MEMBERS will be using pool, gym... sadid it all, so who should pay, the members?!?! Five million is too much, when I can join Princess Anne Rec for 100.00 a year (that was two yrs ago). So I am not for it, but I am sure the city will do it.