ORILLIA: A ceremonial sod turning will mark the start of work on a $4-million expansion and renovation of Orillia’s YMCA.
The volunteer-led capital campaign to drum up funds for the project reached its target earlier than anticipated, said Doug Christie, campaign chair.
“We had hoped to have reached our goal by Christmas time, but a number of very generous gifts received in recent weeks have taken us just beyond our financial target,” Christie said this week. “That means our project is over the top, and now we can celebrate by putting shovels in the ground.”
Opened in 1986, the Peter Street building has failed to keep pace with growing demand.
Annual users number about 5,000 – a figure that is expected to rise to 8,000 within four years.
The coming project includes a new fitness centre on the second floor, family and special-needs facilities, expanded childcare and more programming areas.
The ground-floor gymnasium, divided up in recent years to accommodate the worsening space crunch, will be returned to its original state.
In addition to local donations, the federal and provincial governments provided $2 million in infrastructure funding.
Residents wishing to contribute to the campaign can still do so, said Tom Coon, CEO of the Simcoe/Muskoka YMCA.
“I have the sense that there are others in Orillia who have not yet made their gift to the campaign, and I would strongly encourage them to do so,” he said. “Additional monies raised for the project will ensure any unplanned cost increases can be met and that some project enhancements that were not included in the original plans might be able to be considered.”
A sod-turning ceremony is scheduled to take place Friday at 10 a.m. in the upper parking lot.
The original YMCA was erected in the downtown in 1908 and featured the first indoor pool north of Toronto, a gym, meeting rooms, and a hostel.
A fire forced its closure in 1982, and prompted the opening of a new Y in the present building four years later.
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