Family YMCA to hold forums on senior center proposal

Oct. 25—The Owensboro Family YMCA and the Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County will hold another set of forums this week, to answer questions about the proposed collaboration between the two agencies.

The forums will be held at 11:30 a.m. and at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Family YMCA, 900 Kentucky Parkway.

John Alexander, president and CEO of the Family Y said officials from both the Y and the senior center will present the plan, which calls for the YMCA building to be expanded to create space for a new separate senior center.

The plan is not yet final, but officials have discussed having an 11,000-square-foot-space for the senior center, while the YMCA and seniors will have some shared space. As part of the construction, the rest of the YMCA would be renovated.

City and county governments have about $5 million in funds available for the project, and the rest of the cost would have to be raised by the two agencies.

City officials have said a goal has been to move the senior center out of the aging facility on Second Street. The city solicited for bids to build a senior center in 2020, but no contractors bid on the project.

Two forums were held in early September. Alexander said officials would present the plan and drawings, and would answer questions.

"I don't know how much information people are seeking," Alexander said. "We are not sure what to expect. We may have five people there, we may have 50."

The senior center board and YMCA board have entered into a memorandum of agreement on the proposal, and are planning to start a feasibility study to determine how much money can be generated for the project through fundraising.

The forums are open to the public.

"We are hoping it will be a good event, and people will come to find out more information," Alexander said.