The YMCA may be coming to the Town of Southern Pines.
Before the town could move forward on conveying a parcel on Morganton Road, the council needs to divide the property into three plots. The property is located on Morganton Road and Henley Street.
Under questioning Tuesday from the Southern Pines Council about the fees, a YMCA representative stated that the standard fees for any YMCA are $29 for a single membership or $69 for a family membership. However, the YMCA also offers financial aid. For example, a family consisting of a single parent with four kids making $23,000 a year would pay $8 a month.
The agreement requires the building to be completed by Dec. 31, 2027.
This area has the largest collection of wounded veterans, according to the YMCA representative. Many veterans cannot get to VA hospitals, so the YMCA offers a free program to allow them to use YMCA facilities. Additionally, the YMCA provides veterans counseling and other support services.
The YMCA was conceived in industrial London in 1844 when a farmer turned department store worker and his friends gathered to organize a refuge for young men. Since then, the YMCA has grown exponentially in more than 10,000 communities.
The council did authorize subdividing the plot to allow for the conveyance. The council still needs to take final action because there is a requirement for 10 days of advertising to allow for public comment. They will discuss their final decision at the town’s meeting on March 14.
In other business at the meeting, the council moved $32,000 to convert the tennis courts at Memorial Park into pickleball courts. The project is in conjunction with the local pickleball club, which raised $16,000. In the end, the town will be contributing $16,000, but the council has decided to transfer the full fee pending a final agreement with the club on a user agreement. The council will take final action at their next meeting on March 14.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Chris Prentice. Contact him at [email protected].
