Community Corner

YMCA Revitalizes Sumner Project

The YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties is pursuing an alternate location in Sumner with the potential to break ground as early as spring 2014.

Editor's Note: The following press release was issued by the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties Thursday.

The YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties is pursuing an alternate location in Sumner with the potential to break ground as early as spring 2014. The Y has received $7.75 million in community donations for a Y in Sumner and is seeking continued philanthropic support to bring this community dream to reality. A Y in Sumner would serve as a regional healthy living facility benefiting community members of all ages, backgrounds, and income levels.

“We know 20,000 people have been wanting to join a YMCA for the last five years, and can’t wait to start serving this community through swim lessons, youth programs, art classes, and teen programs,” says Bob Ecklund, President and CEO of the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties. “We are actively raising funds from the community to support this project.”

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The potential site is near the intersection of 64th Street East and 160th Avenue East in Sumner. Several parcels of land became available simultaneously that provided a suitable site for a YMCA. Market research updated this month shows the need for YMCA services in Sumner is stronger than ever.

“The Y is an investment in the future of our community,” says City of Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow. “The YMCA brings lots of opportunities for people of any age to be healthier, and it’s a community resource that we have long wanted here in Sumner. Now, we get all of this plus better access for Sumner residents than the old site offered. It’s very exciting.”

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Sumner City Council will consider revised agreements that reflect the new location and circumstances.

The alternate location for the YMCA is being considered along with an ongoing effort to revise the Orton Junction project at a reduced scale while maintaining the permanent agricultural protections of the original proposal. The new YMCA location will still complement other uses that might be developed at Orton Junction.

Based on the needs identified through our market research and the amount of funds we raise in the coming months, we hope to build an 80,000- to 100,000-square-foot YMCA. Features may include two swimming pools, two gyms, cardiovascular and strength training equipment, a track, an internet café, a child watch area, a teen center, multipurpose rooms, an arts center, and a community room.

The City of Sumner and City of Bonney Lake first conducted research in 2008 showing strong demand for YMCA services. Additionally, local youth forums and youth surveys have repeatedly shown need for youth services such as Teen Late Nite and arts programs. Approximately five years ago, three Sumner citizens gathered a Community Center Task Force to actively pursue a community center. After researching alternatives in surrounding communities, the group refined their request and asked the City of Sumner to pursue a YMCA.


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