2007-11-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 Mr. Kurt Kruger, President of the YMCA, said that a number of questions were raised following the bid submission that he wanted to address. He said the banks have said that a lien on the ground lease would not be viewed as collateral so there will be no lien. He said the proposal is that the City and County each appoint two members to the Board, and the YMCA will work to balance out the other members to have more City residents, which he hopes the Council will help find. He said the YMCA has to figure out a way to give priority access to Charlottesville High School and the three County high schools. He said it makes sense to allow CHS to use the facility right after school. He said he feels sure this can be worked out. He said the City has a punch pass system to swim and the YMCA has agreed to institute the system for a limited period of time to allow it to be phased out. He said financial assistance will be extended to families if an individual qualifies. The public hearing was opened. Ms. Colette Hall, 101 Robertson Lane, noted that a citizen complaint about the YMCA being Christian based is bogus. She recommended that the YMCA build on the PVCC site so more County residents can use the YMCA and more City residents can use a new facility at Smith. She said McIntire Park should be kept as green space. She said a recent City survey showed support for neighborhood recreation centers. Ms. Lisa Goff, 1631 Bruce Avenue, representing the CHS swim and dive teams, said that the YMCA has offered only five lanes which would force cuts in the swim team. She said she was told this was to accommodate the three County schools, but she noted that the City is giving the land. She said she wishes the City would not close Crow Pool which could be used mainly for lap swimming and Smith could be used more for recreational swimming. She asked that Council keep the swim team in mind when it makes a decision. Mr. Scott Brown, 1407 Lester Drive, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and a CHS teacher, spoke in support of the YMCA at McIntire Park. He said he thinks the YMCA’s mission parallels that of CHS and the City. Mr. Paul White, 1801 Hydraulic Road, representing Gold’s Gym International, said he appreciates what the YMCA does, but said the City will lose property and will be paying the YMCA to offer services. He recommended that Parks and Recreation provide the service and keep it under the City’s control. He said McIntire Park is not a location that can serve low income residents well and there is no public transportation. Ms. Lisa Grove, 1497 Dudley Mountain Road, she said the costs presented to renovate Smith and Crow Pools have been escalating. She said it seems they are increasing to make giving the land more palatable. Ms. Virginia Amiss, 628 Watson Avenue, said we have the opportunity to have the YMCA at PVCC, which she thinks is an excellent location, and to save money. She said McIntire Park is the wrong location and Council should decline the offer. Mr. Downing Smith, 810 Locust Avenue, said that whatever and wherever a facility is built the City should be in charge of it. He said the YMCA is not looking out for the City’s best interest. He said we have to figure out what to do with Crow and Smith first. Ms. Anne Hemenway, 800 Park Street, said she is in favor of the YMCA and feels the students will benefit from the McIntire Park location. She said if the City accepts the offer, we should get CHS students the time they need and six or seven lanes, not five. She said it will be good to bring County people into the City. Ms. Sandra Stamp, 104 Bollingwood Road, said she is aghast at the new figures to consolidate Crow and Smith. She said she favors building the YMCA at PVCC and consolidating Crow and Smith. She expressed concern that we are in a drought and are going to build new water facilities.