Growing & Improving our Family Center Ys

Our mission and strategic plan, " A Healthy Y for a Healthier Central Maryland: Vision 2015" compels us to look for opportunities to bring our mission of healthy living, youth development and social responsibility to more people in Central Maryland than ever before with a stated objective of engaging over 240,000 Central Maryland residents by 2015. To accomplish that objective, we've been busy at work finding more ways to reach more people through expanded programming as well as through expansion and redevelopment of our service across Central Maryland.

As is evidenced by the recent projects outlined below, strong partnerships are key to our development strategy. Those interested in learning more or getting involved in our development plans as partners, are invited to contact Gene Oaksmith at geneoaksmith@ymaryland.org.

The following summarizes some of our key development and expansion accomplishments over the past seven years as well as those that are in progress.
 

2004: Opened the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Family Center Y at the former site of Memorial Stadium in the Waverly neighborhood of Baltimore, in partnership with the Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation, Union Memorial Hospital, GEDCO Senior Housing and the City of Baltimore. This vibrant 54,000 sq ft center houses a pool, double gym, climbing wall, state- of- the- art fitness floor and various multi-purpose rooms used for exercise and other classes, after school enrichment programming for children and youth as well as community meetings and events. This center is also home to a Y Journeys Early Childhood Development Center ( serving children ages 2-4) and Camp (ages 5-17) as well as an active youth and adults sports program, some of which takes place on the very field where the Baltimore Orioles and former Baltimote Colts once played, generously brought back to life by the Cal Ripken Sr Foundation as Maryland's first Ripken Youth Development Ball Park (opened in December 2010)

Weinberg Family Center Y	Fitness Center	Pool
Lobby	Ripken Youth Ball Park

2007: The Walter & Betty Ward Family Center Y is opened in Abingdon, in honor of the generous gift made by the Ward family in partnership with Ward Development and Chesapeake Health. This 31,000 sq ft center opened with a full gym, climbing wall, multi-purpose space, fitness floor, Stay & Play area as well as field space for youth sports and Y Journeys camp. In late 2012, the center will be further expanded to house an Aquatics Center with two pools as well as added multi-purpose space and is made possible with significant help from County Executive David Craig and other generous capital campaign donors. For more information about development plans for the Ward Family Center Y aquatic center, go to http://wardydev.ymaryland.org/.

Fitness Center	Aerobics Studio	Climbing Wall
Exterior Renderings and Interior Floorplan (click to enlarge images)

Conceptual Rendering of Family Fun Pool	Example of Family Fun Pool (foreground) and Lap Pool (background)

2009: Opened the greatly expanded and renovated Dancel Family Center Y in Ellicott City, in partnership with Howard County Schools and rededicated in honor of the generous lead gift provided by the Bernie Dancel family of Howard County. This busy 60,000 sq ft center offers two pools, a multi-story climbing wall, two gyms, fitness floor as well as Stay & Play space, a teen and senior center and a variety of multi-purpose rooms for group exercise and other classes as well as community event and meeting space. The center grounds also serve as home to an active Y Journeys summer camp (serving children ages 5-17).

Dancel Family Center Y	Climbing Wall	Gymnasium
Fitness Center	Teen/Senior Center	Teen/Senior Center

2009: The Perry Hall Family Center Y was opened in Perry Hall Square in partnership with Faith Fellowship Church and was expanded on April 2010 to serve as home to the Y's Baltimore County Head Start administrative offices and again in September 2010 to include added multi-purpose space. This center houses a fitness floor, Stay & Play area as well as multi-purpose exercise, community meeting and event space.

Perry Hall Family Center Y	Cardio Fitness Center	Strength Fitness Center
Aerobics Studio	Y Baltimore County Head Start Classrooms

2009: In partnership with Baltimore County Government, the Y of Central Maryland opened two Aquatics Centers, one in Randallstown and the other serving the Dundalk community. These aquatics centers host multiple swim and water exercise programs for people of all ages as well as open swim for the nearby communities.

Y Aquatic Center in Randallstown
Y Aquatic Center in Dundalk

2010: The Parkville Family Center Y opened in North Plaza, in partnership with Continental Realty Corporation. This bustling center begins to set the prototype for newly developed Ys to be built with special consideration for space design that reinforces the Y as a "third place". Families and individuals are invited to stay, relax and enjoy comfortable seating areas, a "family room" with computer stations, pool table and fuse ball among other amenities, a children's interactive play area, Stay & Play, sport court, pool, multi-purpose space and fully equipped,modern fitness floor.

Parkville Family Center Y	Fitness Center	Pool
Aerobic Studio	Teen/Senior Center	Interactive Play Zone

2011: The Y's historic Druid Hill Family Center Y is renovated, thanks to the generous support of a virtual army of volunteers and supporters including State Senator Verna Jones and Michael Shacklette, the State of Maryland and the Michael Group, as well as Board members Perry Savoy of Peristyle and Dwight Taylor (COPT retired). This beautifully renovated center is home to several critical Y programs for at-risk youth and houses a computer and teen center along with a pool, gym, classrooms and fully equipped, modern fitness space.

Druid Hill Family Center Y Entrance	Lounge	Computer Room
Fitness Center	Children enjoying community block party.

2011: The Family Center Y in Carroll County is renovated, expanded and re-dedicated as the Hill Family Center Y in honor of the Martin K.P. and Kelly Hill Family of Carroll County, the generous, long time supporters of the Y and Y programs in Carroll County. This newly expanded center offers a pool with an expanded viewing area, expanded fitness, cycle and Stay & Play space along with multi-purpose rooms, and field space for Y Journeys camp and youth sports.

Hill Family Center Y Re-dedication		The Hill Family
Fitness Center

2011: The Y Journeys Early Childhood Development Center in Towson (serving children ages 2-4) is relocated to its new home at 301 W. Chesapeake Ave, in partnership with The Obrecht Companies. This move marks the first step in the planned renovation and expansion of the Towson Family Center Y set to begin construction Fall 2012 with early site work begun in January of 2012. For more information about the planned renovations, go to http://towsonydev.ymaryland.org/.

Early Childhood Development Center

Below are conceptual renderings of planned renovations for the Towson Family Center Y and are subject to change.

Front of Building	Side of Building	Lobby (view from entrance)
Lobby (view from seating area)	Lobby (view from Stay-n-Play)	Lobby (view from corridor)
Lap Pool(from viewing window)	Family Fun Pool	Floorplan (click to enlarge)

2012: The Catonsville Family Center Y, with state bond fund support, is renovated and expanded to add 4,300 sq ft of new fitness floor space, renovated locker rooms, upgraded pool, lobby and Stay & Play area with the potential of added expansion and further development to come pending the approval of a PUD, by Baltimore County Council. Click on http://catonsvilleydev.ymaryland.org/  for more information about proposed phased expansion plans. In addition to a full service Family Center Y, this campus also houses a Y Journeys Early Childhood Development Center (serving children ages 2-4) and summer camp (ages 5-17).

Catonsville Family Center Y Lobby	Pool	Fitness Center
Phase I completed. Go to http://catonsvilleydev.ymaryland.org/   for phase II & III site plans.

Future Plans

The Y of Central Maryland actively seeks to expand Y programming and services in Anne Arundel County and across our Central Maryland footprint where strong partnerships can lead to greater access to Y experiences for all. Interested partners are invited to contact Gene Oaksmith at geneoaksmith@ymaryland.org.

We wish to thank our generous and active Board, donors, volunteers, members and participants along with Columbia Bank and our numerous public and private partners whose support and faith in our mission fuels a stronger and healthier community for all.