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CC Y asks Residents to help guide its future

Community urged to fill out needs assessment by Sep. 15


 

The web link for the assessment is http://surveys.ymcaexchange.org/f/178514/1735/.


 

By Chris Baldus  |  cbaldus@charlescitypress.com

The list included some big ideas, including moving the Charles City YMCA to the high school campus. Then there was building a field house with the Y at the high school.

The man leading the study to assess the community’s needs and wants in terms of public facilities called the fieldhouse “a big dream.”

Charles City Y leaders are taking a measured approach when it comes to following up on that study. They are turning to community members for their advice.

They Y is conducting a community needs assessment asking members and non-members. It’s asking people to fill out a survey online or to ask for a paper copy of the survey at the Y’s front desk. Director Lance Lasher said they would be happy to mail residents a survey as well.

“Non YMCA member responses are just as important as YMCA members suggestions,” Lasher said.

No two YMCA’s are exactly alike except in the commitment to bringing people together, Lasher said.

The Y has not conducted such an assessment in 15 or maybe 20 years, Lasher said.

“From time-to-time YMCA’s and communities will conduct a community needs assessment, he said. “The Charles City YMCA has not done one of these for at least 15 maybe even 20 years.  We are asking for everyone’s help in giving us feedback by completing the short on-line community needs assessment. Our goal is to have 300-350 responses.”

Moving the Y is not a foregone conclusion. The board of directors has much to consider, Lasher said. For example, the Y owns its current building so it has no debt, and there’s the question of whether the community prefers the downtown location.

The deadline to turn in a survey is Sep. 15. Next, the Y will invite community leaders to a breakfast on Sep. 28 at the Charles City Senior Center. They will break into groups and discuss the needs of the community in more specifics than the survey. A national representative for the YMCA will be there, Lasher said.

The meeting will be open to anybody, he said.

At the end of October, the Y board of directors will have a retreat to go over all the input, set goals, and decide the next steps.

Last summer, the city, county and Charles City Family Y each contributed $5,000 toward a joint study of community facilities by FEH Design. The Charles City School District is contributed about $14,500 plus reimbursable costs.

FEH Design conducted public meetings and drew up concepts from resident’s input. Many concepts were displayed, including the idea of a fieldhouse.

“That’s a big dream, but it’s the kind of thing when you start to look at the kind of events you can have, it’s pretty substantial, it’s a big attraction,” Kevin Eipperle of FEH Design said. “Indoor soccer, indoor track meets in the winter, all kinds of tournaments. You can go in there and have giant conferences, flea markets, truck and tractor pulls, you name it.”

Some concepts also left the Y where it is.

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