Clarion County YMCA receives $1 million grant

From staff reports

The Clarion County Scenic Rivers YMCA has received a $1 million grant that will help fund a child care center in the new YMCA facility that is under construction in Monroe Township.

The grant from the Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (RACP) was announced Tuesday by State Rep. Donna Oberlander, State Sen. Scott Hutchinson and the board of directors for the Clarion County YMCA.

“This $1 million grant is great news, not only to the Clarion County YMCA, which will help it reach its $10 million capital campaign goal, but also to hundreds of families with young children who are in need of child care services,” said Oberlander.

“This grant will help put us closer to our overall goal so that we can open our doors with a full array of amenities to serve the people and families of Clarion County,” said Melissa Bauer, co-chair of the YMCA’s capital campaign.

Hutchinson said “this funding will help achieve a 25-year vision to provide residents of Clarion County and surrounding areas with a facility comparable to those enjoyed by urban and suburban communities.”

Construction on the new YMCA began last year. When finished, the new facility will be more convenient to county residents being centrally located off Exit 62 on Interstate 80, less than a 25-minute drive from almost all areas of the county.

“The entire Clarion County community has shown tremendous generosity in supporting the YMCA’s capital campaign and recognizing the importance of a full-service Y here in our area,” Oberlander added. “I am confident this additional state grant will reap community-wide benefits now and in the years to come.”

The new facility will triple the size of the current Y and include a pool, a full-size gymnasium, an indoor track, a wellness center, a weight room, multiple-purpose rooms, and locker facilities for men, women and families.

This RACP grant is in addition to a $3 million grant Oberlander helped secure in September 2016.