After purchasing the building at 275 Main Street last summer, Town Council has made an additional financial commitment towards a reopening of the facility.
Friday, February 12th, 2021 - Yarmouth, N.S. – Last week, the Municipality of Argyle made a significant pledge towards reopening the pool at 275 Main Street. The gesture did not go unnoticed. At last evening’s council meeting, a motion was passed unanimously to match the $75,000 commitment announced by Argyle towards a reopening of the former YMCA.
Having already purchased the building last June, the Town made it clear that it sees a reopening of the former Y as the best solution to bridge the gap for a community pool and recreation spaces until a new facility can be built at Mariners Centre. Council was pleased with the recent support for the reopening shown by Argyle and wasted little time making the decision to meet their commitment.
“Everyone at the council table was extremely pleased with Argyle’s announcement,” says Mayor Pam Mood. “Getting a pool back for the community is something that needs to be acted on quickly and it will take lots of work to get that building reopened. An extended period of time without a pool is something we cannot afford as a community so it was an easy decision for us to match Argyle’s commitment right away. This allows us to continue to move the effort forward.”
While the building has been secured and some initial financial commitments are now in place, there is plenty of work to do, Mayor Mood indicated. Decisions will need to be made on who will operate a reopened facility. A business plan and budget will be needed and a newly branded facility will need a membership model and programs. Re-starting systems in the building and setting up an information system for memberships will be required and staff will need to be hired and trained. There really is no time to waste if a reopening is to happen in 2021.
The Bridge Subcommittee, which reports to the Mariners Centre Expansion Steering Committee, meets on Tuesday at 10 am. This group of four members representing the Town of Yarmouth, Municipality of Yarmouth, and the Municipality of Argyle is tasked with finding the best solution to fill the gap left by the closure of the YMCA until a new facility can be built. Reopening the former Y as a solution will be tabled and discussed during the meeting.
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