Excitement is building about the opening of the Cook County Community YMCA. A grand opening is planned for Saturday, January 4, 2014. Branch Executive Director Emily Marshall said the progress on the facility is on schedule. Marshall and recently hired Associate Executive Director Colette Mueller check out the work in the pool area. Hardhat tours of the facility are available, contact Marshall at (218) 722-4745, ext. 183 to arrange a time to see the progress for yourself.
A grand opening for the Cook County Community YMCA is slated for Saturday, January 4, 2014. Branch Executive Director Emily Marshall updated the county board on progress on the facility at its November 26, 2013 meeting.
Marshall said she has been making presentations throughout the community. “We think the community perception is changing,” she said. The community has been divided over whether the facility was a wise financial investment of county dollars.
Marshall said many of the financial goals for start-up have been met. A campaign for contributions toward scholarships had brought in $6,400, well over the $5,000 goal. Marshall said they hope to reach $10,000 before opening their doors. About $5,000 in memberships had been sold, just $200 under the amount that had been projected. “We can say with certainty that we will exceed our revenue goals before opening,” Marshall said.
The start-up membership goal was 27 youth, 62 adults, and 115 families. With 87 students from Great Expectations School already on board, the youth goal has been exceeded. They have about half of the adult and family memberships they hope to have by the grand opening.
ISD 166, Great Expectations, one legal firm and one business had or were in the process of getting corporate memberships, with other corporate memberships in the works, Marshall said.
“Everything is pretty much done except for the pool,” Marshall reported. The gym is expected to be ready for use on December 2.
Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk recommended that the county board consider offering corporate memberships to county employees. Commissioner Bruce Martinson pointed out that employees would already be eligible for insurance reimbursements if they worked out on a regular basis at the Y. Commissioner Sue Hakes said she wanted to find out what a county employee corporate membership would mean to the county budget and the YMCA budget.
The county and the city of Grand Marais are planning to spend at least $100,000 a year covering an expected budget deficit, just as they had been doing in recent years with the Grand Marais Municipal Pool. By covering the YMCA deficit each year, Commissioner Martinson said, the county will be contributing indirectly to membership costs for all county residents.
“I’m totally opposed to it,” said Commissioner Garry Gamble. A corporate membership for county employees would be using taxpayer dollars to give county employees an amenity not afforded to everyone.
Commissioner Hakes suggested that if the county paid for a corporate membership, the amount needed for deficit coverage might be reduced and county employees would get a benefit from it. “I just want to remind everyone that it’s in our best interests to support the Y,” she said.
Information on becoming a charter member before the New Year is available on the YMCA’s website, www.CookCountyYMCA.org.
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