Huntington YMCA Unveils New Addition

The Huntington YMCA opened its newest addition on Monday following nearly a year of construction. YMCA officials said the 17,000 square-foot structure includes a 7,500 square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center and additional classroom space.

"The new addition will provide desperately needed space for the classrooms, strength training, and administration," said Paul Craco, chairman of the Board of Managers for the Huntington YMCA. "The Y provides many things for the community and this will dramatically increase its ability to provide services."

The new construction will allow for additional programming, extended-day pre-school and childcare, improved parking and traffic, and improved handicapped, stroller, and senior citizen accessibility, according to the Huntington YMCA's executive director, Eileen Knauer.

"What's drove the project was the need to expand the childcare wing," Knauer explained. "Currently, we have waiting lists for our preschool and childcare. … The Y in general is overcrowded."

The new addition includes seven more classrooms and upgraded the existing six classrooms, according to the YMCA's website. Knauer added that in addition to the new pre-school classrooms, the children will have access to a computer lab, playgrounds, and swimming pool.

A new member of the Huntington YMCA, Nicole Smith, of Greenlawn, said she chose the Y because she liked its "family feel." She added that she believes the new addition will be great for the community. "The YMCA is a great way for people of all ages to work out," she said. "It has childcare facilities and special accommodations for older members. The new addition will improve this potential by improving wheelchair accessibility, expanding the childcare facilities, and expanding the fitness center to allow more people to work out at a time."

While the grand opening of the new facilities took place on Monday, a ribbon cutting to officially welcome the addition to the YMCA is scheduled for Sept. 24 at 10 a.m.

Knauer said the YMCA is still raising money and accepting donations to help pay for the construction and to fund its programs. She explained that the YMCA has two campaigns to raise money for the new addition – the "Buy a Brick" campaign, in which donors purchase a personalized brick to be placed on either side of the Rauch Building, and the "Buy a Tile" campaign, in which donors purchase a personalized tile, which will be part of a mosaic featured in the new Sammis Family Child Care Wing.

"We still need to build a playground," Knauer said. "We have lots more to do."

For more information about donating and/or the YMCA's new addition, visit www.buildoury.org.