The Tri-County YMCA in Ferdinand will look a little different next year.
The facility hosted an official groundbreaking ceremony for a major expansion project during their annual meeting on Monday night.
The facility originally scheduled the ceremony for June before construction started, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to push it back.
Tri-County YMCA Executive Director, Mike Steffe, says the facility long overdue for an expansion.
“I think when we met with Community leaders in 2017, which also included our membership, we heard that our Wellness Center was getting too crowded, and was our programs like Rocksteady Boxing and summer camp. The need was evident. And we’ve added staff. So we’re kind of little short on office space, but the message was pretty loud and clear that our facility is too small and we’ve outgrown the space that we have,” Steffe says.
This 11,000 square foot expansion will also provide services to YMCA members. Steffe explains why.
“We’re going to have an expanded Wellness Center which we greatly need. We’re also going to have some program space to help with our growing programs like Rocksteady Boxing, our youth programs, and Speed and Agility. So it’s going to be a welcome addition for all our members,” he says.
If it weren’t for the community’s support, Steffe says they wouldn’t be where they are today.
“I just want to say thanks to all the board members the donors, the community, you know, the organizations who have supported us and stuck with us through time and they’re always there when we have a call out for need and they support our mission and we’re grateful for all the support that we’ve received,” Steffe says.
For more information about the Tri-County YMCA in Ferdinand, visit tricountyymca.org.