SPOKANE, Wash. — The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) of the Inland Northwest announced the acquisition of a 15-acre parcel along South Glenrose Road.
The property was purchased from the Bauer family, long-time landowners, and YMCA spent a full year searching for the land to build a new facility in south Spokane in the future.
The property was purchased from the Bauer family, long-time landowners, and YMCA spent a full year searching for the land to build a new facility in south Spokane in the future.
The property is close to an additional 15-acre parcel bordering the Ben Burr Trail that is intended to serve as a land conservation easement, affording public walking trails and retaining the natural landscape, according to a press release from the YMCA.
"The purchase is the next step in fulfilling the community’s goal of one day having a full-facility YMCA in south Spokane complete with community gathering areas, walking trails, youth and teen programming space, early learning child care, pools and water features, gymnasium, and health and wellness center," Alan Lesher, YMCA Inland Northwest President and CEO, said.
The YMCA will pay for the project with funds secured during a multi-year community capital campaign, and they will be working with local neighborhood groups and the Bauers to design the facility, according to Lesher.
“My family and I are pleased to partner with the Y on the sale of our property," John Bauer said. "We share the same values and we felt it was important to leave a lasting legacy to benefit the community for years to come.”
This is not the first time the YMCA purchased a property in south Spokane: n 2016, they acquired the former Gold’s Gym located at 57th and Regal to better serve the south Spokane community. However, it lacked many features such as a pool and gymnasium, which were a priority for the south Spokane community.
Lesher said the process of planning and building the new facility will take years, and they want to first work with the communities and neighborhood councils surrounding the site to make sure everyone is happy and they are welcome in the neighborhood.
"We want to be talking to a lot of these groups to get their feedback and hear their concerns long before we ever put a shovel in the ground," Lesher said.
The construction of the new YMCA building is expected to begin around 2026-2027. The plan for 2023 is to start fundraising the money needed for the construction, but the total cost for the project is still pending.