COLLINGWOOD WASAGA BEACH CONNECTION
June 23, 2008

The Collingwood YMCA is Expanding

John Edwards

The organization hopes to start construction of a 5,000-square-foot expansion this summer, said Tom Coon, CEO of YMCA of Simcoe-Muskoka.

"Phase one is largely a partnership we have entered into with the Children's Treatment Network," Coon said.

The Children's Treatment Network serves more than 4,200 children in Simcoe County and York Region and provides rehabilitation services for kids from birth to age 19 with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, brain injuries, spina bifida, autism or chronic medical conditions. The facility will include therapists and equipment for those in need.

"They didn't have a local treatment centre in Collingwood and we decided that the YMCA would be a good place," he said.

The second phase will be an expansion of the locker rooms at the Hume Street facility. Coon said the current change rooms haven't been upgraded since the building was constructed more than 20 years ago. He said this part of the project will include the construction of a change room for those with special needs.

Coon said the cost of the project will be about $2.5 million and they will be starting a fundraising campaign later this year to raise $1.5 million. He hopes construction will start this summer, but they are still waiting on approvals from the municipality.

He said this plan doesn't include an expansion of the pool, but it is something he would like to see happen. Coon said the expansion of the pool would require discussions with the town to see if there is an opportunity for a partnership.