The Eugene Family YMCA held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new 75,000-SF flagship facility which PIVOT Architecture is designing.
“This is special and unique for each of us,” said CEO Brian Stephan. “It shows we can dream big and create projects that seem might insurmountable. It will inspire our community for generations to come.”
“It takes a village of people to rise a Y,” joked Joe Carmichael, YMCA board president, alluding to the iconic “YMCA” song by the Village People.
In the new facility, the Y will be able to double the number of people it serves in its current building, built in 1955. It is designed to give the Y the ability to adapt spaces to fit its offerings which will increase the impact of its youth, health, and wellness programs for decades.
The new building will boast:
• Health & wellness areas including an indoor track and spin room
• A robust aquatics center with a lap pool, exercise pool, and splash pad for younger kids
• Activity centers for academic tutoring, maker spaces, and learning labs
• A teaching kitchen for nutritional and food preparation instruction
• Accessible, flexible floor plans that can change as needed
• The highest level of seismic standards so the building can serve as a community shelter after a disaster
The Eugene Family YMCA is the largest childcare provider in Eugene with afterschool care at 20 elementary schools with three more schools served at the Y facility.
Sabrina Parsons, chair of the Y’s capital campaign, said the new facility will help draw new residents looking at this area’s quality of life and improve Eugene’s “Y effect” as a center of the community.
The Y’s heath and wellness programs are some its most popular. Along with fitness, spin, and yoga classes, the Y has programs designed for cancer survivors, for those who suffer from chronic health conditions, a diabetes prevention program, and programs for seniors.
The facility is being built by Chambers Construction and is slated to open in December of 2023.
The PIVOT Y team strikes the “YMCA” pose on construction equipment.