Community center idea still alive; ball in YMCA's court

Like Mark Twain and Paul McCartney before it, rumors of the local community center idea's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

So much so that Greencastle Mayor Sue Murray was forced to take time to address the issue during her report to the City Council earlier this week.

"There's been some talk that we're not going to do it," she said. "I assure you it is still in the hands of the Wabash Valley YMCA, waiting for the final report back from the national (YMCA Board)."

Leading up to the City Council session, rumors reportedly had been unleashed that city officials were poised to vote the idea down at Tuesday's meeting, suggesting the whole idea was just an election ploy.

"Don't believe what you read on social media," Council President Adam Cohen advised the City Hall audience and those watching at home on the cable access TV channel. "This Council, and I'm sure the next Council, will continue to be in support of the community center."

The prescribed timetable for the project, Mayor Murray noted, still calls for the Wabash Valley YMCA -- which would run the programs and operate a facility to be built with funds from the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission -- to receive a recommendation from its national board.

That is expected later this month, at which time the Wabash Valley YMCA would determine whether it would continue to explore operating and staffing a Greencastle/Putnam County community center.

The Wabash Valley group, by virtue of previous local focus group meetings and a feasibility study of the community, is expected to be armed with better numbers and even a site recommendation from the national group.

"Certainly," Mayor Murray assured, "there is no decision to be made here tonight."

City officials, she added, still would like to partner with the YMCA to create a community center. But at this point, no site has even been determined.

If a favorable recommendation does come down from the national board, the proposal would still need to go before the Redevelopment Commission and the City Council.

"They take very measure steps," the mayor said of the YMCA group. "It's a work in progress and we'll continue to have dialogue and discussion and hopefully move toward a positive outcome for our community."

She added that city officials are "really grateful" the YMCA national board chose to take a look at the prospects of a community center in our midst.

"One thing we know," Mayor Murray added, "is we can't afford to run the program. We don't have funds like that in Mr.(Rod) Weinschenk's Park Department budget."

And findings in a YMCA report shared with city officials late this summer agreed with that.

"The enthusiasm of the focus group and community forum members indicate that community expectations can possibly be higher than what the City of Greencastle and the YMCA are able to deliver," the report stated. "Many participants pointed to facilities that were in communities with a much higher population density than Greencastle.

"The reality is that Greencastle cannot build a facility that citizens will not or cannot support," the report added.

Concerning a possible location for a community center, the report noted that such a new facility will draw members from within a 15-minute drive radius. It noted that varied opinions and preferences for a local site have been expressed.

In ultimately choosing a site, the report concluded, what must be considered are "the footprint size of the facility on the available acreage," including having ample parking, visibility, ease of accessibility and ability to expand.

The recent report also raised the issue of including an aquatic center or not.

"In communities the size of Greencastle," the reported noted, "YMCA USA's prior experience indicates the members of the Greencastle YMCA would not be able/willing to support the operating cost of aquatic center. That doesn't rule out a pool, it just highlights that it will take an act of generosity or some significant partnerships where the operating and construction cost is spread to several partners."