Piedmont Family YMCA
Piedmont Family YMCA is the local chapter of the global organization YMCA. For years the organization planned to build an aquatic center in the western side of the city's McIntire Park, a plan that withstood a legal challenge that went to the Virginia Supreme Court.
The Piedmont Family YMCA association is a nonprofit with several different locations: the Brooks Family YMCA gym in McIntire Park, the Early Learning Center at the Jefferson School in Charlottesville (serving ages 0-5), and educational programs located in Greene County & Charlottesville City Schools.
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An article on Wikipedia has information about YMCAs in areas beyond Albemarle County's borders. |
Brooks Family YMCA
The Brooks Family YMCA fitness and aquatics center opened on June 30, 2017 at McIntire Park after several years of planning. [1]
Planning for the $19 million facility was long in the making but the non-profit organization finally broke ground in November 2015. [2]
Years in the making
Charlottesville City Council discussed the idea at a work session on July 9, 2007 about the overall direction of the city's parks and recreation department. [3]
The preliminary site plan called for a 77,000-square-foot facility on a 4.51-acre site. 158 surface parking spaces were to be added to the 110 spaces already in place. Under the plan YMCA will be responsible for all maintenance. The approved design also features a sustainable details and the facility will be built into the hillside to minimize massing. Todd Bullard of VMDO is the architect.[4]
Council voted 3-1-1 on September 17, 2007 to advertise a lease. Councilors David Brown, Kevin Lynch, and Dave Norris supported the lease. Councilor Julian Taliaferro voted no, and Kendra Hamilton abstained. [5] In December 2007, Council voted 3-2 to move enter into the lease with the YMCA, as Hamilton switched her vote to a no. [6]
In January 2008, the organization entered into a 40-year ground lease with the City of Charlottesville for $1 per year. [citation needed]
On November 10, 2009 the Charlottesville Planning Commission approved the preliminary site plan[4], followed by City Council January 4, 2010. [7]
Lawsuits
The project was long delayed by a pair of lawsuits filed against Charlottesville and Albemarle County claiming the two jurisdictions broke Virginia's procurement laws by not allowing private companies to submit a request for proposals to operate an aquatic facility on city-owned land. [8] [9]
The court heard the case in June 2012 and dismissed the lawsuits in January 2013. [10] Construction is expected to begin sometime in 2013.
The terms of the ground lease required construction to have begun within five years of it being executed. That deadline is January 15, 2008. The Charlottesville City Council voted to grant the extension in December 2012. [11] [12] The YMCA expected to break ground after the 2013 Dogwood Festival. [13]
Final stretch
A capital campaign was announced in May 2015. [14] A certificate of occupancy was granted on June 13, 2017. [1]
Bird strikes
Shortly after the building opened, a Charlottesville High School student brought attention to birds striking the large glass and dying. [15]
Jefferson School
The YMCA has also operated an office in the Jefferson School City Center. [16]
After-school programs
In 2019, the Piedmont Family YMCA took over the after-school programs in Greene County. In 2020, they were in negotiations to run the CLASS program in the city of Charlottesville. [17]
Personnel
Board of Directors
2009
| Kurt Krueger, Chairman | Lee F. Hicks |
| William G. Wardle, Vice-Chairman | Kristin O. Landis |
| Suzanne Jessup Brooks | Kathy Marshall |
| Gordon C. Burris | Stephen McLean |
| Rip Cathcart | Timothy Redden |
| David B. Ern | Stephen F. Smith |
| Lawrence W. Gimple, MD |
Staff
- Jessica Maslaney, Chief Executive Officer
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Web. Brooks Family YMCA Report to the Charlottesville City Council & Albemarle County Board of Supervisors June 20, 2017, Piedmont Family YMCA, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. Charlottesville Breaks Ground on New YMCA, Delia D'Ambra, WVIR NBC29 (via archive.org), November 9, 2015, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. City Council discusses YMCA, Boys and Girls Club partnerships, July 10, 2007, retrieved July 13, 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Web. Charlottesville Planning Commission approves site plan for YMCA, Chiara Canzi, C-ville Weekly, November 11, 2009, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. City to advertise lease agreement for McIntire Park YMCA, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, September 18, 2007, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. Council approves McIntire Park lease for YMCA, Sean Tubbs, News Article, Charlottesville Tomorrow, December 18, 2007, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. YMCA preliminary design approval, Staff Reports, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, January 5, 2010, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. Fitness group sues Albemarle and Charlottesville over YMCA, Sean Tubbs, News Article, Charlottesville Tomorrow, May 13, 2010, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. VA Supreme Court to hear YMCA case of fitness clubs vs. Albemarle, Brian Wheeler, Charlottesvillee Tomorrow, August 22, 2011, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. Virginia Supreme Court dismisses case against YMCA, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, January 10, 2013, retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ↑ Web. New YMCA further delayed by Virginia Supreme Court, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, November 11, 2012, retrieved November 12, 2012.
- ↑ Web. Lease extension for planned YMCA OK’d, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, December 18, 2012, retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ↑ Web. YMCA working out construction details for spring groundbreaking, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 18, 2013, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. YMCA Launches Capital Campaign for Charlottesville Project, Rachel Menitoff, WVIR NBC29 (via archive.org), May 1, 2015, retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ↑ Web. Crying fowl: New YMCA threatens birds, says teen advocate, December 27, 2017, retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ↑ Web. Jefferson School may get local historic designation, Rachana Dixit, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, December 12, 2010, retrieved December 13, 2010.
- ↑ Web. City schools in talks with YMCA to partner on after-school program, Katherine Knott, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, February 3, 2020, retrieved February 10, 2020. Print. February 3, 2020 page A1.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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