TOLEDO, Ohio — The construction of a brand new Wayman Palmer YMCA in central Toledo was announced Wednesday after what Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz called decades of inaction.
The mayor was joined by numerous community and city leaders to make the announcement. The project will cost $21 million and double the size of the existing facility.
The new YMCA is slated to open in 2024.
"This is another step in a series of investments that will have long-term benefits to the people who live in and around neighborhoods that have been disinvested in for far too long," Kapszukiewicz said. "Talk is cheap, but action is powerful. Today we are announcing another step in a commitment to provide real results in Toledo and in neighborhoods that need it the most."
A community meeting will be held Sept. 27 to receive comments on the design of the new building. A presentation will be made to Toledo City Council in November.
The facility will be 50,000 square feet and include multipurpose rooms for youth gaming, a demonstration kitchen, meeting rooms, gymnasiums, fitness rooms and an indoor pool.
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City Councilwoman Vanice Williams grew up in the neighborhood and said the YMCA played an important role in her life.
"I grew up in the Moody Manor and my daughter started out playing basketball here," she said. "This was an intricate part of me being a single mother to keep her active and keep her learning. This is a monumental project. This neighborhood has needed this for decades."
The new building will be constructed around the corner on Bancroft Street to provide more visibility. The existing YMCA will remain open during construction.
The former facility will then be converted into a park and green space.
"The Y will be a safe place for the community to gather," said YMCA of Greater Toledo CEO Brad Toft. "People will come to improve their health. The community will have services to address specific needs. This impact will last generations."
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Toledo), Toledo Public Schools Superintendent Romules Durant and ProMedica President and CEO Randy Oostra also attended the event.