Supervisors take up proposal for new Y next week

The YMCA of Greater Richmond wants to serve the residents of the fastgrowing Route 360 corridor with a new sports facility just off Hull Street Road 3 miles west of Route 288. File photo With three existing branches in Chesterfield County, the YMCA of Greater Richmond has long been a valuable member of the local community and a major player in the aquatic and fitness market.

By building what will eventually be a 70,000-square-foot facility next to Hampton Park, the nonprofit organization hopes to strengthen its presence in western Chesterfield and tap into one of the fastest-growing areas of the county.

“It’s a perfect location for the Y to serve families in that area,” said Barry Taylor, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond YMCA. “There’s an extremely large population base, and it’s going to do nothing but keep growing.”

Growth was one goal of a YMCA strategic planning campaign that began about five years ago and identified 16 capital development projects that would address underserved areas in the metropolitan Richmond region.

The 360 West corridor was considered “underserved” even though there already are two Y facilities in relatively close proximity: Midlothian (11 miles) and Manchester (15 miles).

“Our studies show that most families prefer to use a Y that is within three to five miles of their homes,” Taylor said, “so there will be no negative impact on the Midlothian or Manchester Ys.”

It remains to be seen if the same will be said about the area’s for-profit facilities, such as American Family Fitness Center’s Swift Creek location, which will face a new competitor for aquatic, fitness and after-school childcare dollars in the western Chesterfield marketplace.

Like the area’s other Ys, the Hampton Park facility will have a built-in advantage over neighboring businesses: As a nonprofit organization, the Y pays no county property taxes.

But while there has been plenty of discussion about the proposed Y, it’s not as if representatives of competing organizations are shaking in their boots.

“Of course there will be some impact, but we’re not really seeing it as competition,” said Cindy Rosser, aquatics director for Woodlake Swim & Racquet Club, who noted that because of its outdoor pool and tennis programs, “what we have to offer is a different product.”

So, is there demand for what the Y offers? Taylor, who lives in Hampton Park, said response to an initial survey the Y distributed to his neighbors and other nearby communities was “extremely positive.”

“People want good services for their children and families,” he added. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been approached by people who are excited we’re going to be there and are looking forward to being part of it.”

Not everybody is so thrilled at the prospect of a Y being built in their backyard. Dr. Bob Falk, the lone speaker during the planning commission’s July 20 public hearing, still has concerns about the project even after meeting with Y representatives and Matoaca District Commissioner Wayne Bass.

Falk’s main issue is that, according to current plans, the facility’s main entrances will be off Hampton Park Drive instead of Route 360. That means the headlights of cars leaving the Y after sunset may shine directly into the back of his house. Falk and the Y have been negotiating ways to mitigate this possibility.

He’s also concerned about an increase in traffic on Hampton Park Drive and resulting safety issues for neighborhood children who walk to Cosby High School during the school year.

“I think if you’re going to have something that large, you should have access from a main artery instead of bringing it into a residential neighborhood,” he said. “I would say there’s a big picture not being looked at by the planning commission or the YMCA. With some coordination, this could be done in a better way for the entire community.”

Taylor said the Y “has every interest in working with families to make sure they’re not disturbed by our presence,” but at this point in the process, it’s still too early to know exactly where the new facility’s entrances will be located.

While the planning commission has given the project a green light, the Greater Richmond YMCA is still negotiating the purchase of the 21.7-acre site in the northeast quadrant of Hampton Park Drive and Otterdale Road.

The board of supervisors is scheduled to vote on rezoning for the new Y at its Aug. 25 meeting.