Two surveys vital to success of possible YMCA, GFD projects

Friday, June 12, 2015

The village people are being asked if they want to have fun at the YMCA ...

That request of the village people of Greencastle and Putnam County is one of two surveys that local residents are being asked to complete relative to a pair of future city projects.

The YMCA survey -- an online effort to be available June 15-July 13 -- will gauge local residents' interest and support in a community center operated by the YMCA and solicit what amenities residents would most like to see as part of that long-sought facility.

Granted, it's not going to be a place "you can get yourself clean or "have a good meal" of "do whatever you feel" as those old Village People lyrics might suggest.

What's more likely is a multi-purpose structure that could host sports like recreational basketball or indoor soccer with additional space for activities or classes and possibly a kitchen to give the building a multiplicity of potential uses.

The national YMCA people are hoping for "at least 400" responses to gauge the pulse of the local community, Mayor Sue Murray said at the June City Council meeting.

Here's how you can access the YMCA survey ... the online survey link is: http://surveys.ymcaexchange.org/f/177271/75d0/.

Meanwhile, the other survey is of the income variety, randomly mailed out to residents of Greencastle and Greencastle Township in regard to the $400,000 grant request from the city for renovation of the Greencastle Fire Station.

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (IOCRA) has circulated the income surveys and several residents have reported already receiving them in the mail. A prompt return of the income surveys is important to receipt of the grant, Mayor Murray said.

The income survey must qualify the fire service area of the City of Greencastle/Greencastle Fire Department to apply for the grant. All planning projects must benefit at least 51 percent low- to moderate-income individuals.

If awarded, the fire department grant is expected to be announced July 10.

The proposed fire station building upgrade includes reinforcing some walls, replacing the roof and updating the firefighters' quarters that haven't been redone since the structure was built in 1978.

Meanwhile, the YMCA possibility is tied to continuation of the City of Greencastle TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District. The community center is the project of choice for which the city would bond and pay off using the proceeds of the TIF District. A back-up plan if the community center/YMCA isn't deemed feasible is to bond for infrastructure work necessary for the reconstruction of Indianapolis Road.

Having either project in place would extend the life of the city's TIF District through June 30, 2040, instead of expiring in 2025.

Regardless of the project of choice, the plan is still to move forward in two phases with the bond effort, city officials said.

The first bond issue, expected to be less than $500,000, would fund architectural drawings and preliminary site work, whether the choice is a community center at Big Walnut Sports Park (or somewhere else in the city) or an upgrade to Indianapolis Road east of the stoplight at the Kroger store.

The second, larger bond issue would fund construction of either the community center or the road improvements.

Regardless, the deadline is June 30 to extend the life of the TIF district, established on the city's East Side in 1992.

That's because a new state law taking effect July 1 requires all legacy TIF districts established prior to 1995 to expire June 30, 2025, unless they are

repaying bonds that have been issued before July 1, 2015.

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  • I believe a volleyball court should be considered also for the center. It is a growing sport in the county. It could be in the same court as a basketball one.

    -- Posted by momma-j on Fri, Jun 12, 2015, at 3:14 PM
  • While a Community Center sounds great the reality of the situation is that Indianapolis Road in front of McDonalds needs some work ASAP.

    -- Posted by Trying hard on Fri, Jun 12, 2015, at 4:30 PM
  • Something like the Y in Avon would be amazing... childcare while you workout, indoor swimming pool, children's activities, etc... Would attract more of the people who choose to live in Hendricks county and work here to just live here.

    -- Posted by lhenry on Fri, Jun 12, 2015, at 8:56 PM
  • When I moved here in 2005, I was very surprised that the town didn't have a YMCA. This is exciting news, and yes, an indoor pool would be a great amenity to have in it!

    -- Posted by Lindy62 on Sat, Jun 13, 2015, at 7:41 AM
  • Maybe it could go downtown. Bahaha

    -- Posted by canttakeitanymore on Sat, Jun 13, 2015, at 7:22 PM
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