Community center timetable remains ‘up in the air’

Monday, December 28, 2020
Architect’s drawing illustrates what the proposed Greencastle Community Center might look like when complete.
Courtesy photo

While a year ago this month, the City Council was being told to expect groundbreaking on the long-waited community center/YMCA in the spring -- that obviously never happened -- and now the timetable appears up in the air.

That’s what the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission learned at its recent December meeting.

While prolonged contract discussions on the city-YMCA-Putnam County Hospital partnership get much of the blame, as with just about everything else, the COVID-19 climate certainly hasn’t helped matters.

The community center discussion arose after Mayor Bill Dory reported that the southern extension of Calbert Way, which will provide the main entrance to the community center property, has been completed.

“They’re done with the work,” Dory said of the Frank Fuetz Construction Co. operation. “We’ll keep it closed. There’s no need for people to drive back there. There’s no access to Walmart that way, and we don’t want semis to get down in there and tear it up.”

Councilman Jacob Widner, listening in to the meeting via Zoom, asked where the community center project stands.

Mayor Dory said officials are working to finalize the agreement, using the Indianapolis legal firm Ice Miller. The mayor noted that he expects fundraising to commence early next year.

However, Councilman Dave Murray, attending the meeting at City Hall, stressed that no fundraising will occur until there is a signed agreement in place.

“The timetable, in my mind,” Murray added, “is still very much up in the air. Nothing will happen until we have a signed agreement.”

National YMCA representatives, who previously met with city officials, have made the point that the YMCA wants to start a membership drive/fundraising “in December of whatever year,” Murray said, “so it can be a part of peoples’ new year’s resolutions.”

The project will be built on 15 acres (plus or minus a couple) out of the 73.26 acres the city purchased from the Ballard family for the site south of State Road 240 and west of Ballard Lane.

The site will be configured in such a way, Mayor Dory noted “so not to close off other development opportunities” on the property.

Mayor Dory assured the RDC meeting that there will be “a whole rolling out” sometime in the near future.

“We’re kind of in a behind-the-scenes phase yet,” he revealed.

At a prior meeting, City Attorney Laurie Hardwick addressed some of the ongoing contract issues.

“They’re looking at the issue of naming rights, things like that,” she said, “and how that’s affected by the bonding … if there’s any limitations because of that.”

“It’s a complicated deal,” Councilman Murray allowed.

During a public meeting in May 2019, an enthusiastic audience of 75 residents got their first glimpse into the scope and nature of the proposed 51,000-square-foot Greencastle YMCA community center

Among what they learned is that memberships, volunteers, financial supporters and community partners all will be necessary in seeing the project go from a dream of more than 30 years to reality.

Under the agreement, the YMCA would operate the community center and be responsible for maintenance on a facility to be built by the city with funds accumulated by the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission.

The focus of the community center, Ryan Penrod, executive director of the Wabash Valley YMCA, suggested at the 2019 get-together, will be on “youth, wellness and a community gathering place” designed to offer fitness equipment, cardio workout opportunities and places to play basketball, volleyball and pickleball among other activities. It will not have an indoor pool in the initial configuration.

The building is expected to include a 6,100-square-foot area reserved as leased space for a health care facility, which officials said might be a prompt or urgent care center, a family practice office or an office hosting rotating specialists. Putnam County Hospital has been involved in project discussions but its board has not taken action on the issue.

Other proposed spaces shown to the group include a teen center, child watch area, basketball/volleyball courts, community space (which could be converted to locker rooms if a pool is included in a later phase of the project), workout area and offices.

Meanwhile, a two-lane walking/running track is planned to go all the way around the second floor of the facility.

YMCA officials estimate a local membership of 2,500-3,500, which is based on involvement in communities of similar size to Greencastle.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: