Phase 4 in YMCA Renovations Marks Facility Modernization

The Redlands YMCA has entered phase four in renovation plans to improve and expand its facilities following a cornerstone groundbreaking ceremony held Sunday, April 19. Phase four is the final phase in the Y’s efforts to modernize the facility by adding an elevator to the second floor, a demonstration kitchen, community room, private Pilates facility and expansion of their spin studio. Officials at the YMCA expressed eagerness to see the placement of the elevator before the YMCA's anniversary on May 2, and YMCA Board Chair Ken Ballou explained that the demonstration kitchen will be another notable addition to the facility, and will make the Redlands YMCA one of only a few offering such a kitchen. "We are going to have classes on the nutritional requirements for folks,” said Ballou of the demonstration kitchen's intended purpose. In total, the renovations are estimated to cost $2.7 million, but with the help of the Redlands community, 59 donors have raised $2.6 million of its funding. Char Burgess, campaign chair, was put in charge reaching out to the community to establish such funds needed for the facilities renovations. “A decision was being made whether to tear down a large part of the Y and rebuild something on this property because it would be less expensive,” Burgess said. It was a big choice the board had to come together to make. She added, “I think we made the right choice to preserve what is important to Redlands.” The project is projected to take up to six months to finish. Tovey Shultz Construction Inc. will be carrying out the construction for the Y for the next few months, starting this week. The company will carry out construction while the Y stays active. More than 100 classes have been moved in order to still provide service to the community. In celebration of reaching phase four, members of the YMCA board put together a closed event for staff and donors Sunday. The event developed on the plans for the Y in a presentation given by a few members of the board. Darwin Barnett, CEO of the YMCA of Easy Valley, spoke on the YMCA’s history. Barnett showed in a presentation the transitions the building has had dating back to its opening in 1927. He proceeded to explain the timeline of phases the Y has gone through and how its lead them to the stage of transition they’ve reached today. Following the presentation, event-goers were lead upstairs to witness Ballou and Burgess take the first swing at the demolition of the wall in the room that will in months be known as the Community Room to the public. Moving down the list of attendees, Kevin Terry and Ed Deleeuw, supervisors of Tovey Shultz, also took a good beating to the wall. The event ended with applause for the board and staff at the Redlands YMCA.