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Plant City YMCA Closing Site

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2007

Updated: 11/27/2007 05:52 pm

PLANT CITY - For more than 40 years, the building at 502 E. Young St. now managed by the Plant City Family YMCA, has held programs for children and teens. That comes to an end on Dec. 31.

YMCA officials have told the city that they wish to terminate their lease on the property on that date, City Manager David Sollenberger said.

The programs held at the East Young Street facility — which include teen activities, after-school programs and a leadership club — will continue at the YMCA's more modern building at 1507 YMCA Place, said Scott Warren, executive director of the Plant City Family YMCA.

YMCA officials are also in talks with the Plant City Garden Club to relocate a recently opened butterfly garden from East Young Street to YMCA Place, Warren said.

The decision to end the lease comes at a time when local schools are beginning to offer programs similar to the YMCA's, Warren said.

More students seem to find it convenient to enroll in programs at their schools because they are already on campus instead of finding transportation to activities at the Y's satellite branch, Warren said.

"We're seeing a downward trend," Warren said, adding that last year, 100 children were enrolled in the youth activities. That number is down to 60 this year, Warren said.

The building on East Young Street was used by a private swim club in the 1960s, Warren said. The Plant City Family YMCA took the property over in 1990. Over the years, the swimming pool at the property has been filled in and bathhouses and showers have been removed.

After the lease ends, the property will return to city ownership, Sollenberger said. Its future use is yet to be determined, but Parks and Recreation Department Director Jack Holland told officials the site could be used for programs that cater not only to students but to senior citizens, Sollenberger said.

The city manager told Holland he could do whatever he deemed fit with the building as long as it "generates money" because of the lower revenues local governments earn in light of the state's property tax reforms.

"It's a very, very solid building," Sollenberger said.

The YMCA has rented the property for $365 a year, or $1 a day, Sollenberger said.

The YMCA built its newer location off Alexander Street about six years ago.

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