The Old Town-Orono YMCA will take over Old Town’s community center later this year. This will be the Y’s second location in the city.
The Old Town City Council approved the Y’s proposal to use the Herbert Sargent Community Center, which previously housed the Old Town Recreation Center. Originally, two organizations, the Courageous Steps Project, an organization that focuses on special education for children, and the YMCA, submitted proposals to use the building, but the Courageous Steps Project withdrew its proposal in January due to an uncertain construction schedule and opening date.
The Herbert Sargent Community Center has gone unused since the nonprofit Old Town Recreation Center dissolved and stopped using it last summer, leaving the city with just one community recreation space and ownership of the empty building. The Orono-Old Town YMCA has a location on Stillwater Avenue, but this second location will be used for programs that can’t be expanded in the current location.
Councilors previously tied in a vote for which organization would enter the lease in January, with multiple members saying both organizations were good candidates.
“What is being offered at the Y that would help a lot of people,” Councilor Linda McLeod said during discussion in January.
Councilors did not discuss the proposal on Monday but had lengthy discussions in January. They approved the proposal 6-0 with David Wight abstaining.
The Y will use the building for senior programs that are currently held in the YMCA building on Stillwater Avenue. Programs for children in third and fourth grade would also be in the building, Old Town-Orono YMCA CEO Scott Wilcox said in the proposal.
During discussion in January, multiple councilors said additional senior programming that the Y would offer is needed in Old Town.
“One of the things that I have discovered is that there are not enough senior programs in this area,” Councilor Charlene Virgilio said on Jan. 15.
The Y will start using the building for programs this summer, Wilcox said.
Existing tennis courts, a playground, baseball and softball fields as well as a proposed outdoor pool that would be built this year would all be open for public use when they’re not in use for Y programming.
The council didn’t set the terms of the lease when approving the proposal on Monday. The Y’s proposal includes a 100-year lease for $1 a year.
