Interim part time Yarmouth YMCA CEO Margaret Kay-Arora said a decision about the facility hadn’t been made yet when interviewed at the beginning of February, however she said that the focus would be on the Main Street facility this year.
She said that Wapomeo has several issues.
“There is the pollution and it has no well. All of the water (excepting drinking water) comes from the lake.
“We really need to focus the time and the energy of all our staff and volunteers on this (Main Street) facility and do a great job with the renovation and communication (of programs available),” she said.
Last year was the first since 1921 that Wapomeo did not open for summer campers.
A peer review, conducted in December 2009, recommended closing the camp for five years. Septic and staffing problems added to setbacks.
Former CEO Barrie MacGregor (who retired in December) was against that, believing the structures would disintegrate over that time.
He added that selling the complex was not feasible because of the blue-algae problem that has plagued Lake Fanning, the body of water used for all water activities at camp.
He recommended to the YMCA board that the camp be closed for traditional operation but open to rentals last summer.
When asked if Wapomeo would be open for rentals to groups in 2011, Kay-Arora replied that the board was still looking into the issue.
