21 Sep YMCA of the Palm Beaches Announces $1.25M Funding for New Community Facility
Earlier this year the YMCA of the Palm Beaches announced a $46 million capital project, in partnership with the Palm Beach County Parks &Recreation department, that will relocate and dramatically expand its flagship branch. The Florida State Legislature has approved a $1.25 million appropriation for construction costs
associated with the Y’s future community center, scheduled to break ground later this year. The
grant was sponsored locally by State Senator Bobby Powell and State Representative Michael
Caruso.
“We are extremely grateful to our legislators for their overwhelming support of this expansive
project,” said Timothy Coffield, President and CEO of the YMCA of the Palm Beaches. “This is an
important investment in our community’s future, and we are honored that State of Florida has
approved funding that will help make this long-awaited dream a reality.”
The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners has approved a 50-year ground lease
to the YMCA of the Palm Beaches, allowing the nonprofit to build a state-of-the-art 55,000
square foot community center and Olympic-style skate park adjacent to the County’s future
aquatic facility, which the Y will assist in managing. This historic public-private partnership
replicates a successful model, through which other YMCA associations throughout the nation
have worked together with municipalities. The new facilities will be centrally located in Palm
Beach County at Lake Lytal Park, just off Southern Boulevard, and will serve four times as many
individuals and families than the previous facility.
A hallmark feature of the new YMCA Community Center, its Youth Engagement and Resource
Center, will be wholly focused on mentoring young people between the ages of 12 and 22. This
programming will address specific challenges for a historically underserved population in Palm
Beach County. In addition, the new Y will offer compelling programming for teens in areas such
as visual art classes, music recording studio, college preparation, workforce skills training, and a
STEM lab.
For additional information, visit ymcapalmbeaches.org and follow on Facebook and Instagram
@ymcapalmbeaches.
