(Atlantic) The Nishna Valley Family YMCA and Healthy Cass County released their project survey ranking potential community projects.
Dan Haynes, Executive Director of the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, presented many potential community projects at a public meeting in April. The attendees were asked to rank the projects. The most interesting projects were number one, a Splash Pad, a senior center, and outdoor pool space at the YMCA, a children’s museum, a teen center, and an area trail development. “I think the community and the county are ready for some new opportunities and they’ve spoken,” said Haynes. “The Splash pad project constantly rises to the top of the list, and in several surveys, facilities for senior citizens and teens continue to come up. We would like these future projects to turn into a community and regional draw.”
Haynes says it would bring people into the community for many different reasons and good for economic development, and quality of life in general. Haynes admits they’re still in the early stages of deciphering the information. He acknowledges two other surveys out there in regards to outdoor recreation and community needs assessment from Public Health. “We’re putting all of this information together so we can decide what the next steps will be.”
Haynes says one survey had around 550 people participate. We need to do some more data collecting with junior high and high school kids, and other school districts. “We’re collecting good data, and we want to make sure we’re on the right track.,” said Dan Haynes.
The Nishna Valley Family YMCA board will begin researching cost estimates for expanding the YMCA building to include community spaces such as a teen and senior center, and further discussions will be held on additional potential projects including potential locations and funding strategies.
Additional community recreation projects presented at the meeting included; a children’s soft play space, pickleball courts, community activity rooms, a coffee/smoothie bar, and indoor pool renovation, a cycling studio, and indoor golf. Additional community recreation needs identified by those in attendance included drop-in childcare, community events such as an outdoor steak night, adult daycare, dirt bike and ATV trails, a fitness studio, and improved digital presence and marketing of community recreation events.
The Nishna Valley Family YMCA is located in the Atlantic area; however, attendees mentioned that the “Y” serves Cass County and surrounding areas outside of the Atlantic area multiple times during the meeting. The additional discussion stressed the need to offer community recreation opportunities and programming outside of Atlantic to assure community recreation opportunities are accessible to those outside of Atlantic.
