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 In early November it was announced that the
Lincoln YMCA was merging with the Springfield branch to form a
stronger offering for the local Y. With the merger, the downtown
business offices on Broadway Street in Lincoln were closed and staff
re-established with new offices at the Youth Activity Center on
Wyatt Avenue.
The Wyatt Avenue address is expanding its services to the community.
The ribbon cut on Monday will celebrate that expansion of services
and offer the community an opportunity to take a fresh look at YMCA
programs now that the merger is in place.
Recently Joey Greenwood, who is serving as branch overseer for both
Springfield and Lincoln, and Lynn Eck, who works in marketing and
development for both Springfield and Lincoln, joined local staff
members Kristina Snellen and Bonnie Myers, who are part of the youth
development and membership development in Lincoln to talk about the
changes and the future of the Y in Lincoln.
In 2019, it was announced that the Lincoln YMCA and the Lincoln
Memorial Hospital were partnering to bring a new $27 million
facility to the city’s west side, along Woodlawn Road near the
hospital. Those plans are still in place and hopes are high that
sometime in the future the construction of that facility will begin.
Eck noted that the coronavirus had an impact on the original
timeline for construction. Now, construction material demand is at
an all-time high, and there are also reported shortages that are
hindering the project. She said there is currently no timeline in
place for the new facility, but they are looking forward to the day
when that building can be built and completed.
In the meantime, the move to consolidate the services of the local Y
into one location is a partial step toward that end result of a new
facility with expanded services.
The Wyatt Avenue address is a property owned by the Oddfellows. The
Greenwood and Eck noted that the Oddfellows have done some building
improvements to accommodate the Y’s expansion of services.
Inside, the Y is now offering an adult workout
area, which is new and part of the evolution to the new facility.
The basement portion of the large brick gymnasium
building has two large rooms. One room has been fitted-out as a
weight and exercise room, while the other has been fitted as a
cardio workout room.
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Upstairs the large gymnasium area is much the same as
it has always been. Snellen and Myers both have offices upstairs and
the wide open space of the gymnasium is a great place for youngsters
to play and exercise on their own.
Greenwood said that the offices on Broadway Street were
administrative with no services or activities offered there. Merging
the two locations onto Wyatt Avenue brings staffing to the Wyatt
address on a regular basis.
The open gymnasium and the workout rooms in the basement allow
families to come to the Y together and split up for exercise.
Greenwood said that adults and youth above the age of 13 years old
may utilize the workout rooms. Youth ages eight through 12 may
utilize the upstairs area for general play and exercise. Staff will
be in the offices nearby to keep an eye out for children, and the
Wellness Coach on hand will float back and forth from downstairs to
upstairs to make sure that all visitors are doing well while at the
Y.
Greenwood and Eck said that what is being offered now is the first
step to an expansion of services at the Lincoln YMCA. Expansion of
services will continue after the new year and one goal is to
establish group fitness classes.
The open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday will be an
opportunity for the community to visit the Wyatt Avenue location,
speak with staff about the new and improved services at the Y, the
services yet to come, and also take a tour of the building to see
what is new now.
There will be activities and games upstairs for youth and snacks for
guests.
Eck said that there is also a membership drive with special pricing
offered starting Monday the 13th and running through December20th.
The group will gather at 5 p.m. for a ribbon cutting ceremony with
anticipation that the Springfield/Lincoln CEO Angie Sowle will be on
hand along with Greenwood, Eck, Snellen and Myers, and some of the
local YMCA board members. All these people will be available after
the cut to discuss programs and the future of the YMCA with guests.
The Lincoln area YMCA is open to anyone within the community and all
residents of Logan County are encouraged to come out Monday evening
and get to know the newest version of the local Y.
[Nila Smith] |
