YMCA Sports Complex Development Underway
The below article, provided by the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, discusses plans for the YMCA’s new sport complex in Bellville.
Why do this? Y not!
YMCA of North Central Ohio Sports Complex Development Underway
Our north central Ohio children and families will benefit. So will our businesses and county and community governments.
The YMCA of North Central Ohio recently announced that a $1 million gift has been given for its sports complex on land donated by Jim Gorman at Interstate 71 and State Route 97. The 100,000 square-foot sports center building will become the Y’s third branch, featuring a fitness center, arcade, indoor soccer, volleyball, basketball, and pickle ball, as well as seven outdoor soccer fields, an indoor walking track, and an outdoor walking trail.
In addition to traditional YMCA programs, the indoor center will have several retailers and service providers such as Nickel and Bean coffee shop, and food, apparel, sports gear, and others rounding out the list of vendors leasing inside space.
The sports complex, including its outdoor fields, will host multi-state soccer tournaments and be a special sports training facility for north central Ohio children. It will also bring in more than more than $8 million a year in retail sales and sales taxes for Richland County, said YMCA CEO Cristen Gilbert.
Jim Gorman, who will be 99 in April, said he’s pleased that through paychecks he had sent back home during his World War II service overseas, he was able to acquire the land that the YMCA will use for its sports complex.
“I think you’re going to see the village of Bellville explode,” he told the Y. “Having this in your backyard will benefit the children greatly.”
“The way I look at it, it goes from growing potatoes to growing young people,” Gorman said.
The Ashland County Community Foundation represents the anonymous donor who pledged the $1 million gift to help create the sports complex. “The Ashland County Community Foundation is privileged to hold the assets of a prominent Richland County family foundation, which has pledged $1 million of support to jumpstart this important project,” said James M. Cutright, Foundation President and CEO. The Richland County Foundation recently pledged $500,000 toward the Y’s project.
Construction of the sports complex by Richland County-based Adena Corp. is expected to begin late this year or early in 2024. The Y is planning to host a grand opening in 2025. A funding program is underway to make it all happen, Gilbert said.
The YMCA is seeking public and private donations for this $22 million investment in the community. Progress announcements will be made periodically this year.
For more information or to provide financial support, contact Chriss Harris at chrissharris@embarqmail.com or YMCA Marketing-Development Director Sara Baker at sbaker@ymcanco.org. To get the latest news on this project, please visit the YMCA website: www.ymcanco.org.
