By Jacob Dimond / jake@yelmonline.com
During the Yelm City Council’s study session on Tuesday, Dec. 6, Mayor Joe DePinto provided an update about a potential YMCA location in the city, which would provide residents with a long awaited pool.
DePinto said there have been discussions about a potential YMCA at different Yelm City Council meetings throughout the year. While talks are going well, DePinto said nothing has been finalized yet.
Leading up to a potential agreement to construct a YMCA facility in Yelm, a committee of “10 or so people” has been formed. The committee will be responsible for finding a location for the facility and has discussed three different spots. They will also be responsible for identifying “funding mechanisms,” DePinto said.
“Of course, the council will be involved after it gets through the basic committee,” DePinto said. “It has to have council support in order to move forward.”
The first meetings of the committee will be held in early January, he said.
Councilmember James Blair had several questions regarding the potential addition of a YMCA to Yelm, including what the City of Yelm’s involvement would be.
DePinto said the city will decide the funding approach for construction, which currently features several options. The city could introduce a bond or look to private donations. Those will be options the council discusses later down the line.
When considering a facility, the organization asks for partnerships on the project, which DePinto noted is common. The last one, according to the mayor, was in Shelton.
“The schools are usually involved in it,” DePinto said. “There’s usually a lot of different partnerships. The city can be a key partnership and the schools can be a key partnership.”
Blair also asked about the benefits a YMCA would bring.
Aside from child care and different leadership programs, DePinto anticipates the biggest benefit would be the addition of a swimming pool to the community. Since he took on the role of mayor, DePinto said community members have inquired about a pool, which is something he considers one of the biggest desires for Yelm residents.
DePinto said the city would not be responsible for ongoing funding once the facility is built. He noted the YMCA would manage the facility after it is constructed.
“If you’re going to be asking for the people of Yelm to build this place, obviously there will be a cost of running the place and not everyone will be able to go for free,” Blair said. “I think there should be an ask that if you have a Yelm address, you should have a discounted membership for that location.”
DePinto said that would be a reasonable ask.
The YMCA would open the opportunity for Yelm High School to create a swim team and have its own “home” pool, DePinto said. He sees additional opportunities for senior citizens to use the YMCA and its swimming pool for exercise too.
While the organization is considering several other YMCA locations around the state, DePinto said they are still “very interested and committed to Yelm.”
