YMCA In Moncton’s Growing North End Is On Track For 2020 Opening
MONCTON – City Councillors unanimously approved the rezoning of a property in the city’s north end to allow for the construction of the $17-million YMCA Community Centre.
The application to rezone the property from two unit dwelling to community use zone was made by Acadian Construction on behalf of the city.
YMCA CEO Zane Korytko said the design of the building is on track to reach the 99 per cent mark in the next few weeks, but there are some more steps to take before the project can get a building permit.
“We have some more city meetings coming up. We have an advisory council meeting as well as the public presentation and consultation that’s going to be happening in mid-March. And then if all goes well, the permit gets given and as soon as we get a little bit of a thaw, we will hopefully be in the ground by early spring.”
Construction for the 35,000-square-foot facility is expected to begin “sometime in April, if not beginning of May,” he said to reporters outside the council chambers. It’s planned for opening in fall 2020 in conjunction with the YMCA’s 150th anniversary.
The proposed development is a partnership between the city of Moncton and the YMCA. The population in the north end has growth in the last decade and residents have pushed for a community centre for nearly 20 years.
“As we’ve seen, the north end has grown substantially over the past 10 years. It’s enormous,” Korytko said. “At this point, they need a centre for the community.”
The proposal will include an extension project that will connect the existing Twin Oaks Drive to Ryan Street, which will also begin construction in the spring.
The new YMCA will include a multipurpose space, a walking track, wellness centre, gym, change rooms, indoor splash pad/play area and after school programming for up to 60 children. There will be no swimming pool at the facility due to the high cost of operation that would entail. But Catherine Dallaire, the city’s General Manager Recreation, Culture and Events, said membership at the north end centre will give access to the pool-equipped YMCA on in the city centre.
The facility will be designed so that it can expand easily to accommodate the community’s needs, said Dave Theriault, the YMCA’s VP of programs and community initiatives. There is the possibility of community gardens as well as an outdoor basketball court or outdoor rink in the future.
During the presentation in council by Director of Urban Planning Bill Budd, Councillor Susan Edgett asked whether future plans also included a satellite location of the Moncton Library.
Dallaire told reporters after the session that the library had shown a “tremendous amount of interest” in doing that, though discussions are still in early stages.
Korytko said in the last three years, he has presented to the library’s board about the YMCA’s plans for the north end centre and “they’ve always envisioned having a satellite location in that part of the city.”
“It would be ideal if you think about it. You’ve got young families, you’ve got seniors in the community who’ll be able to walk over there … You don’t need to construct something alone. Why not build something with partners?”
Korytko is also in talks with the city to have a bus route that passes by the facility, but a road needs to be constructed for that. The facility has 155 parking spaces, less than half the usual requirement of 325 for a building that size. But Korytko said the number of parking spots will be enough for the property, which is also located in a more residential area.
“The other thing also is we’re hoping the public will be using the trails, using their bikes, walking, taking the bus to come to the facility as well,” he said.
The federal, provincial and municipal governments are contributing $4 million each to the project. The city of Moncton is also investing an additional $2 million for the Twin Oaks extension. The YMCA will raise the remaining $3 million through a capital campaign.
“We’ve started the quiet phase of our capital campaign and that’s been progressing along nicely. The public part of the campaign will start at the end of the year and go until we open up the facility,” Korytko said.