The expansion would include an aquatic centre and fitness facility, curling club and walking track.
The idea is that, if the project were to proceed, Yarmouth’s YMCA and curling clubs would close their existing facilities but would continue to operate within the expanded Mariners Centre.
The study was the subject of a public meeting Tuesday night at the Mariners Centre.
Jim Morgenstern of dmA Planning and Management Services Inc., one of Tuesday’s presenters, said the local municipal units have some big decisions to make, including whether the expansion is a priority. Anna Sampson of Architecture49 was co-presenter.
“In my view, it’s a good project,” Morgenstern said. “It serves the community well. It ensures the YMCA continues to be a part of this community.”
As proposed, the expansion would involve a partnership between the local municipal units and the YMCA.
The way things are now, Morgenstern said, the YMCA in Yarmouth is not sustainable.
As envisaged in this expansion, he said, the new Y would be a contemporary facility and there would be a “night-and-day” difference compared to the existing Y.
The proposed municipal partnership would not involve the arena and the curling club, according to Tuesday’s presentation.
Given the size of the project, Morgenstern said, there surely would be funding from the federal and provincial governments, although he couldn’t say what percentage each would contribute.
Where sports and recreation are concerned, the trend is to go with multipurpose facilities, he said, citing as examples facilities that have been built in recent years in other areas of the province.
Recalling when the Mariners Centre was built a decade-and-a-half ago and the multipurpose nature of the facility, he said the Yarmouth area was “ahead of the curve” at that time. Now, he said, it’s a matter of catching up to some other communities.
He said some minor revisions and points of clarification would be made to the feasibility study report before a final version is released, probably next week.
The expansion would include an aquatic centre and fitness facility, curling club and walking track.
The idea is that, if the project were to proceed, Yarmouth’s YMCA and curling clubs would close their existing facilities but would continue to operate within the expanded Mariners Centre.
The study was the subject of a public meeting Tuesday night at the Mariners Centre.
Jim Morgenstern of dmA Planning and Management Services Inc., one of Tuesday’s presenters, said the local municipal units have some big decisions to make, including whether the expansion is a priority. Anna Sampson of Architecture49 was co-presenter.
“In my view, it’s a good project,” Morgenstern said. “It serves the community well. It ensures the YMCA continues to be a part of this community.”
As proposed, the expansion would involve a partnership between the local municipal units and the YMCA.
The way things are now, Morgenstern said, the YMCA in Yarmouth is not sustainable.
As envisaged in this expansion, he said, the new Y would be a contemporary facility and there would be a “night-and-day” difference compared to the existing Y.
The proposed municipal partnership would not involve the arena and the curling club, according to Tuesday’s presentation.
Given the size of the project, Morgenstern said, there surely would be funding from the federal and provincial governments, although he couldn’t say what percentage each would contribute.
Where sports and recreation are concerned, the trend is to go with multipurpose facilities, he said, citing as examples facilities that have been built in recent years in other areas of the province.
Recalling when the Mariners Centre was built a decade-and-a-half ago and the multipurpose nature of the facility, he said the Yarmouth area was “ahead of the curve” at that time. Now, he said, it’s a matter of catching up to some other communities.
He said some minor revisions and points of clarification would be made to the feasibility study report before a final version is released, probably next week.
