The Southern Pines Town Council was updated on Tuesday about the YMCA’s withdrawal of its plan to build a facility in West Southern Pines.
YMCA of the Sandhills President and CEO Jeff Darling informed the town that the organization had failed to meet deadlines, so the donated parcel of land at W. Morganton Road and S. Henley Street, near Armory Park, would be returned to the town.
Those involved with the project – due in part to the withdrawal of a significant donor – were unable to raise the necessary funds.
“For the past year, I have been working on raising the necessary funding to complete some preliminary drawings that would be needed for the fundraising campaign,” said Darling in a letter to the Town of Southern Pines. “Unfortunately, we never achieved the necessary funding to complete this step. While there were several individuals who contributed, it was not enough to complete this stage of the project. With upcoming deadlines in the agreement, and after careful consideration, and input from the Board of Directors, we regretfully will be giving back the property. I still believe that a YMCA is needed in the community, but we are not in a position to provide the necessary capital to meet the contractual deadlines, and move to the next step.”
The latest idea for a YMCA was proposed to the Town of Southern Pines in 2023, and the organization received an eight-acre conveyance from the town for the facility.
In exchange for the property, the YMCA was prepared to construct and operate an indoor facility of at least 45,000 square feet, slated to open by the end of 2027.
At yesterday’s meeting, it was emphasized that the transfer of the property back to the town would be accomplished without foreseeable difficulty.
Feature photo: A screenshot of a portion of the Southern Pines Town Council and attorney Mac McCarley discussing the withdrawal of the YMCA project on June 23, 2026.
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