WAXHAW – With the changes happening in Waxhaw, including shifts in leadership, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte expressed some concern to town leaders as it continues developing the Hall Family YMCA.
Steve Bowers, executive director of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, updated town commissioners Nov. 12 on his organization’s progress toward opening the first phase of a Waxhaw branch by the end of 2022. He specifically mentioned concern regarding Waxhaw’s transition in terms of hiring a new town manager.
The branch’s provisional board is looking at all potential partners to raise money and finance the construction, Bowers said. The board is focused on identifying who they can collaborate with moving forward.
“This is a barn-raising,” Bowers said. “It requires our collaborators and partners to be part of that and be flexible as we work through that. And we plan totally to reciprocate to the needs of the community also as we get to that place. But there is a little uncertainty because we’ve had a close relationship with the town and we hope that it continues over this changeover and time period.”
Bowers said the YMCA of Greater Charlotte knows that more can be done if there are more partners involved with the work.
Mayor Stephen Maher asked how the partnering process is going so far. Bowers said it is going well and people have been very receptive.
“People seem really, genuinely excited to work with us and likewise,” Bowers said. “And the big piece of this ultimately comes down to the fundraising and the financing of all of this and how we go about doing that. The provisional board is significantly fundraising efforts and how we grow through partnership.”
Bowers said provisional boards usually have between six and eight members before expanding to a full advisory board consisting of 12 to 24 people.
The YMCA is on track to meet its goal to present a concept plan for the first phase of the project by June 30, 2020. However, Bowers said there may need to be some flexibility in that date if any adaptations take place by then.
“We very rarely put together a conceptual plan and you look at that and look at the final product and say, ‘that’s what happened.’ That’s the case with most buildings these days as you develop them,” Bowers said.
Ben Pinegar, who serves on the board at the Brace Family YMCA in Matthews, will also have a leadership role in the Hall Family YMCA, Bowers added. Pinegar will be responsible for organizing the board and maintaining the relationship between the board and town staff.
Another leader who works with the Morrison YMCA will help out with program planning and relationships for programming for the Hall Family YMCA. Additionally, since Atrium Health is a major partner for the YMCA, Bowers said the hospital board is identifying one of its senior leaders to serve on the board for the Waxhaw branch.