YMCA kicks off campaign for new $28 million facility
The Martinsville-Henry County Family YMCA kicked off its campaign for a new $28 million facility Thursday with an announcement by The Harvest Foundation of a $12 million commitment toward the project.
"The YMCA project has great potential to be transformative for the community, serving as a cornerstone for uptown revitalization," said Harvest Foundation President Kate Keller. "It will feature a centralized child care facility for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in Martinsville and Henry County that adds important slots to our child care system. As our community faces significant health challenges, the YMCA will offer a wellness center and other amenities that cater to people of all ages, for our most vulnerable population to the broader community promoting healthier outcomes for all."
The New Martinsville-Henry County YMCA project site is a 7-acre tract of land, situated on Memorial Boulevard and Fayette Street. The site is near Albert Harris Elementary School, the Fayette Historic District, uptown Martinsville, and the new Five Points neighborhood.
The proposed 60,000-square-foot facility will included a large fitness center, three full-court gymnasiums, an indoor aquatic center, an indoor elevated walking track, and multiple group exercise and community rooms. An Early Learning Center and many outdoor amenities are also part of the plans.
"Our YMCA leadership is extremely grateful to The Harvest Foundation for their leadership support of this ambitious and exciting community project," said YMCA Board President Caleb Moore. "On behalf of the thousands of residents who will benefit from The Harvest Foundation's generous support for generations to come, we thank you."
In addition to The Harvest Foundation's investment, the YMCA is beginning the "quiet leadership phase" of a major capital campaign as well as pursuing various funding grants from public sector sources. In early 2023, the YMCA Board of Directors hired Suddes Partners as fundraising counsel for a proposed capital campaign, a firm with extensive experience conducting successful major capital campaigns for YMCAs.
In addition to Moore and Keller, speakers at the announcement on Thursday included Harvest Foundation Committee Vice Chairman Danny Wulff, Martinsville Councilwoman Kathy Lawson, Martinsville City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides, Henry County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Adams, and YMCA Board Member Ed Reynolds.
The Martinsville-Henry County Family YMCA was established in 1968 and has been operating in its current facility on Starling Avenue since 1988. Today, the YMCA serves more than 5,200 members and reaches an additional 2,000 individuals in the community through various programs, including Miles in Martinsville, afterschool care, preschool, and a first-grade learn-to-swim initiative.
The local YMCA operates with an annual budget of $1.8 million and employs over 100 staff members.
Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in the summer of 2026 and a grand opening is anticipated in 2028.
Bill Wyatt (276) 591-7543
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