Source: Star Telegram
After several years of planning and clearing a series of what seemed like insurmountable hurdles, the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth is taking its first major step toward building a new facility in the southeast quadrant of the city.
YMCA officials and other community and civic leaders made it official at a land dedication ceremony on Thursday, where they also announced the launch of a $10.6 million capital campaign to fund the project.
The Y will need all of that money to help build the new Renaissance Square facility, which will merge two smaller and aging branches into one new and spacious structure, complete with an array of community services.
The new center is expected to feature a gymnasium, preschool, demonstration kitchen, community meeting rooms and a community garden, among other things, and serve as many as 4,000 residents.
Assuming the Y can raise the needed funds relatively quickly, officials are hoping to begin construction in 2016 and complete the project the following year.
The city seems to be taking a big interest in the project, too — welcome news given the the Fort Worth City Council’s past role in delaying the project.
In a Twitter Town Hall earlier this summer, Mayor Betsy Price tweeted “we’re planning to partner with @FortWorthYMCA to construct a facility in Southeast #FortWorth.”
Assistant City Manager Susan Alanis confirmed to Star-Telegram reporter Sandra Baker that for its part, the council will be looking for about $2 million in its coffers to build a community pool and aquatics center that the Y will operate.
Dedicating the land for the prospective facility was a small step, but one that has huge significance for the often neglected community of southeast Fort Worth.
Raising the funds will not be easy. The project got an early boost from the Amon G. Carter Foundation, which made a $1 million commitment to the new center.
As the catchy Village People song says, “No man does it all by himself.”
When you need a hand, you go to the YMCA.
It will certainly take a lot of community support to complete this worthy project. But it’s off to a great start.