THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 25, 1995 TAG: 9506230244
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY XIAOHONG ZHANG SWAIN, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 137 lines
THE CHESAPEAKE FAMILY YMCA on Greenbrier Parkway will soon unveil a 10,000-square-foot addition that includes a multi-purpose gymnasium, a fitness center and a spacious new lobby.
The addition, which cost more than $500,000, is expected to be completed and in use by mid-July.
``We're really excited about the addition,'' said Crystal LaTulipe, the branch's executive director. ``It will add benefits to the entire community.''
The 5,000-member branch YMCA, built in 1985, focuses on three services: child care, adult fitness and aquatics.
``We try to design programs to meet the needs of the community,'' LaTulipe said. ``This expansion was a well planned and thought out process.''
Ten years ago, LaTulipe said, a consulting firm was hired to research the local market and identify the kinds of services the community wanted. The programs offered by the branch are based on that study, she said.
From the start, a top priority was a pool and aquatics program. Because Chesapeake is surrounded by water, it's important for children to learn to swim, said Katherine Dalton-Jones, the branch's marketing and membership director.
To meet that need, the Y constructed a state-of-the-art, six-lane, 25-yard indoor pool. Then, three years ago, a six-lane, 25-meter outdoor pool and a toddler pool was added for use in the summer.
The Y offers swimming lessons for various age groups, including children 6 weeks old and older, and water-related exercises, such as water walking, water jogging, water aerobics, swimming conditioning, snorkeling and lifeguard training. The branch also has its own competitive swimming team.
``We're one of the primary providers of swimming lessons in the community,'' said LaTulipe.
Jones said the present expansion has been needed for a long time.
``We would have been able to use this space years ago,'' said Jones. ``We've done really well in being able to provide the services with a small amount of space. Now, we have a lot more to offer.''
In the past year, the Chesapeake Family Y has enjoyed a 24 percent growth in its operating budget from $1.286 million to $1.6 million, said LaTulipe.
Chesapeake's other YMCA branch, Greenbrier North Family on Old Greenbrier Road, operates on a much smaller budget, but it also saw significant growth the past year - 13 percent from $620,000 to $700,000. The smaller branch is currently shouldering a $20,000 deficit, said Ken Lyda, executive director.
Even so, the branch has doubled its child-care programs to meet community needs. Limited by existing facilities, the branch has to add a trailer this fall for an additional kindergarten class. Even with the new programs, there's a waiting list of clients who would like to enroll. The branch has also attracted a larger enrollment for its summer camp program.
``We hope the new kindergarten class and the larger summer camp program will help to make up for the deficit,'' said Lyda.
The Greenbrier Y also needs to expand its overcrowded parking lot soon. Peggy Balducci, membership and program director, said members now depend on the generosity of neighbors for parking space.
The building of Greenbrier North in 1992 was designed to ease the overcrowding in child care and adult fitness programs at the Chesapeake Family Y. Since the Greenbrier North branch opened, Lyda has observed a crowd of Chesapeake Family Y members coming to use his branch. Under YMCA policy, a person signing up for membership with one branch can use facilities of other branches.
``We did a study to see how many people cross-use our branch,'' Lyda said. ``In March, there were 420 individual visits from Chesapeake Family members alone. The phenomenon is very prevalent.''
Lyda said that factor contributes to his branch's lower membership base. The branch now has a membership of 400 single and family units, or, about 600 to 700 individuals. He said the Y's lack of visibility adds to the problem.
``We're tucked into a corner,'' Lyda said. ``We don't have the visibility of Chesapeake Family. We are not on a major road.''
In 1992, the YMCA bought an old racquetball facility on Old Greenbrier Road and turned it into the Greenbrier North branch with a space of 23,000 square feet. The branch now has three pre-school classes, one kindergarten class, an after-school program that services nine area schools, five racquetball courts, a gymnasium for playing basketball and volleyball, aerobic classes and cardiovascular and strength training facilities.
Lyda and Balducci would like to see a swimming pool added to the Greenbrier facility.
``It's only a dream now,'' said Balducci. ``We don't have a plan yet.''
Lyda said it's hard to measure whether the lack of a pool has hurt the branch's membership. But he believes having a pool would help.
Both the Greenbrier North Y and the Chesapeake Family Y are in association with the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, which oversees a total of eight branches in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Suffolk.
Lyda said the association plans to conduct a feasibility study on the potential of the Greenbrier North branch.
``The research study will look at the feasibility of child care versus adult fitness and the possibility of building a pool,'' said Billy George, vice president of YMCA of South Hampton Roads.
Even though the Greenbrier North branch has grown more slowly than the Chesapeake Family branch, it has one of the highest growth rates among the branches in South Hampton Roads, George said.
In fact, George emphasized, since Greenbrier North opened in 1992, the total membership of Greenbrier North and Chesapeake Family has been doubled and the total program services have been tripled.
``The two branches collaborate so much,'' George said.
Officials of the two Chesapeake branches say they are very supportive of one another.
``When people come to us, we sell Greenbrier North's racquetball courts,'' said Katherine Jones of the Chesapeake Family Y. ``And when they go to North Greenbrier, people there sell our pools.''
Jones said she has been asked by many people on whether the YMCA will build new branches in the Deep Creek and Western Branch area.
``There are even people from Great Bridge who want to have a YMCA built there,'' said Jones.
Billy George said the regional association is not ``actively pursuing'' a new branch in Chesapeake. ``But that could change tomorrow,'' he said. ``Our minds aren't closed.''
The grand opening of the new addition at the Chesapeake Family Y is scheduled for 7-9 p.m., Aug. 17. Funding of the project came from a capital campaign run by the branch.
``The project wouldn't be possible without all the donors from the community,'' said Jones. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos, including the cover, by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
[color cover photo]
The new entrance to the YMCA is taking shape. Construction for all
the addition is expected to be completed in mid-July.
Members can still use the fitness equipment despite nearby
construction.
Children play in a racquetball court at the YMCA, which offers
after-school and pre-school programs.
A new workout room is part of the $500,000 expansion of the YMCA.
by CNB