FALMOUTH – With plans now in place for a new YMCA in Falmouth, officials are seeking support from the community.
The YMCA Cape Cod and Falmouth Aquatics partnered for a facility that would deliver programs and services to residents in the towns of Falmouth, Mashpee, Bourne and Sandwich.
“If it is youth development, healthy living or social responsibility related, our main goal is to listen to what our local community needs are and then find ways that we can respond to those community needs and to do so with collaborating partners,” said Stacie Peugh, the YMCA Cape Cod president and CEO.
“That is another exciting reason why coming together with Falmouth Aquatics is such a big deal.”
The non-profit Falmouth Aquatics began as a grassroots effort several years ago to bring a community pool to the Upper Cape area to provide health and wellness programs, competitive swimming, learn to swim programs and recreational programs.
“These are all areas where there is a broad range of needs in our community and we really set out to find a way to meet those needs and do it in a manner that’s financially sustainable, financially accessible and environmentally responsible,” said James Preisig, the chairman of Falmouth Aquatics.
Both organizations conducted studies in the Upper Cape communities with a broader range for services by the YMCA and water focused by Falmouth Aquatics.
Plans call for the facility to be as large as the 40,000 square foot West Barnstable YMCA, and hopefully located within walking distance of Falmouth High School.
“After school recreation for teens was the number three need that we discovered in our process,” Peugh said. “So we have to bring it close to where our teens are.”
Preisig said there will be aquatics programs for all ages, including competitive, recreational and instructional.
“You can teach them to be lifeguards and teach them to be safe in the water so that can work in a lot of the maritime industry around here,” Preisig said.
He said aquatics is also the number one health and wellness activity for seniors. Preisig said there is a huge need to serve that population, which continues to increase on Cape Cod.
The facility will require a $13-$15 million capital campaign.
Both organizations agree to unite their efforts under the YMCA structure and the facility will be established as a branch of the YMCA Cape Cod.
Falmouth Aquatics joins the YMCA structure with three dedicated seats on the YMCA Board of Directors with additional volunteer participation in all relevant YMCA board committees, including the Falmouth YMCA Facility Development Committee, Finance Committee and Fundraising Planning Committee.
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