YMCA seeks to build 2-story gym | News, Sports, Jobs
KAHULUI — Maui Family YMCA is moving forward with long-standing plans to build a $2 million two-story gymnasium at its current site along Kanaloa Avenue in Kahului.
The gym is planned for 9,655 square feet and includes office spaces, storage room, parking lot and landscaping improvements, according to an Urban Design Review Board agenda item. The board will take up the project at its next meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the county Planning Department Conference Room in the Kalana Pakui building in Wailuku.
The board may provide its recommendations to the Maui Planning Commission on the design aspects of the project. YMCA is seeking a special management area use permit for the project, which the planning commission will hear in the future.
The new gym is designed to be about the same height as the existing two-story building, which houses a racquetball court, weight room and other exercise equipment, said Mike Morris, president and CEO of Maui Family YMCA, on Tuesday.
The new facility would be at the southeast corner of the YMCA facility, nearest to Keopuolani Park and next to the pool and existing two-story building.
“For the Y, it’s not just a gym, it’s a place for youth programs, large gatherings, space for healthy living programs and, of course, basketball,” Morris said in an email. “We call it a gym, but it will be used for a myriad of purposes.”
Students in YMCA’s summer program also would be able to utilize the new gym, instead of tents put up on the YMCA grounds, Morris added.
Once the YMCA obtains its SMA permit, it will finish off its fundraising by partnering with the state and county and private donors.
“It is our hope to have our permits by the end of the year and funding by May. Once that is in place, we should start construction immediately and will take about a year to complete,” Morris said.
Currently, the organization is completing the permit process with a $200,000 grant-in-aid from the state.
The gym actually has been a long-term goal, dating back to 2008. Late philanthropists Johnny Baldwin and Dorvin Leis were helping the YMCA raise money for renovations and a new gym, Morris said.
He said that Goodfellow Bros. was the first donor, giving $250,000 for the project. Morris initially only asked for $100,000 but was told by the Goodfellows “that wasn’t enough” so they donated more. He said company leaders Dan and Steve Goodfellow “have been great to the Y for many years.”
But there have been setbacks — the passing of Baldwin and Leis, the old SMA for the gym expiring and the economy taking a dive.
“It has taken us over 10 years to get back on track with building the gym,” Morris said.
About $3 million has been raised for renovations which have taken place, such as new air conditioning, new roofs on both existing buildings, locker room renovations and pool resurfacing.
Morris said the new gym is needed. In the last five years, YMCA has seen a lot of growth in its programs, including summer camps, which currently are going on, swim lessons and after-school care.
“In addition, five years ago, I set a long-range vision for the Y to focus a lot of our energy on preventive health issues, including diabetes and arthritis prevention programs. This growth has created space issues that we can resolve by building a gym,” Morris said.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
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