The YMCA/JCC in Sylvania is planning a $10 million upgrade and will hold a public information meeting this Wednesday at 6pm at the Sylvania Ave. location. At the same time the voters in Sylvania are looking at a proposal on the November ballot that would expand the SAJRD, Sylvania Area Joint Recreational District, to include many of the services the Y already offers or plans to offer in its' expansion.
Issue 11 on the Nov. 2 ballot is a 2.56-mill, 28-year bond levy to finance the project and would cost homeowners $91 in annual tax for each $100,000 of appraisal. There is at least one group actively fighting against the new levy.
Building on its 20-year tradition of serving Sylvania, the YMCA/JCC expansion will more than double the size of its current facility and completely modernize its existing spaces. ● Large portion of the expansion is earmarked for an all-new indoor family aquatics center with water toys and an area dedicated to swim lessons and therapy ● Fitness and wellness space will double in size and be furnished with new, state-of-the-art equipment ● New multi-purpose space will be used for youth, adults and seniors, as well as community needs The expanded facility will also include exclusive space for community partners, both public and nonprofit. The YMCA/JCC plans to announce several new partnerships in the months ahead. These build on the YMCA’s longstanding relationship with the Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo. “The YMCA believes in the power of working with others,” said Brad Toft, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Toledo. “For this reason, we have proactively visited with several public, private and nonprofit community organizations to join this one-of-a-kind effort, and we will continue to do so.” Planning for this expansion began in 2016 and involved a facility feasibility study, community needs assessment, market research study, operations assessment, community forums and a fundraising study with potential major donors. “A major project like this does not happen overnight. This has been a culmination of a five-year strategic process involving many community stakeholders,” Toft added. The expansion is being funded through charitable contributions, with 50% percent of the Sylvania capital dollars raised to date