NEWS

Next Step for Y Plan

By Kirk Lang klang@bcnnew.com
Printed in the Westport News

A Code Enforcement Committee meeting is being held at 9 a.m., Tuesday, to review the Y's preliminary plans. The committee consists of representatives from Planning and Zoning, Police, Fire, Conservation, Public Works, Health and Engineering Departments, as well as the town's building official.

Planning and Zoning Director Katherine Barnard, after first hearing of the Y's plans, felt it was wise to have YMCA officials sit down with the various town agencies "right at the beginning" of the process.

If the YMCA receives special permit and site plan approval for the project, the move raises many questions. What entities will replace the downtown landmark when it bids Main Street and the Post Road adieu? How will Wilton Road traffic be impacted by an organization whose members comprise roughly 25 percent of the town? How large will the new facility be? What programs will be offered in the new facility that cannot be provided now?

Most of these questions will be answered as the YMCA proposal to move Mahackeno moves through the approval process. Presently, Camp Mahackeno is the site of the YMCA's summer camp. Barnard said a number of things have to be addressed to make the site the Y's home base of operations.

"Traffic is an issue because the Y will generate a considerable amount of traffic," she said. "Wilton Road is already a pretty busy road. Adequate parking is another issue. Right now Y users use the municipal lots for parking. Also, Mahackeno is a hilly property with a stream running through it. The property is right on Lee's Pond. There's issues of topography and wetlands. The Conservation Department will have jurisdiction because of the wetlands and stream.

"There's a lot of jurisdictions that come into play," said Barnard, adding, "The sewer doesn't go up there."

There are many people who would like to see the YMCA remain where it has been for more than eight decades. In fact, a number of citizens formed a group called Y Downtown!, and started a Web site, www.ydowntown.com

"I think where the YMCA is a great location," said Y Downtown! member Debbie McGinley. "I think keeping it in the center of town is important."

McGinley, who has children, said the current Y location is very convenient. She can get her errands done or take the kids for pizza after they're done at the Y.

"As a parent of young kids, every second is valuable. If you have to drop them off at [Camp Mahackeno], then drive 15 minutes to get somewhere else, you've lost your window of opportunity."

McGinley said if the Greenwich YMCA was able to renovate its facility and stay in the same location, then the Westport YMCA should be able to do the same. However, Dick Foot, executive director of the YMCA, told the Westport News the reason why the Greenwich Y was able to stay where it had been was because it purchased adjacent property and expanded its facility.

According to information provided by Foot, there is no adjacent property available the Westport Y can purchase. The cost of modernizing the 81-year-old facility is prohibitive and renovation would require up to a two-year shutdown. Even after renovation, a fully renovated downtown building would still not provide a full-service Y, nor would it meet programming needs.

While many don't want to see things change, Foot said the move is a must. Every other option was explored, including an attempt to go onto Baron's South. Foot said more than 37 locations in four different towns were explored and proved to be unsuitable or unavailable either due to size, location, cost or other limitations.

"The YMCA is in the preliminary and conceptual stage of advancing a development program which would place a 94,000-square-foot full facility YMCA on the 30-acre Mahackeno Outdoor Center property," said Foot. "People who are informed or know the YMCA's situation are excited about the prospect of a new YMCA with contemporary facilities, adequate parking on site, contiguous play space and further, the enhanced outdoor center and summer camp.

"The Edward T. Bedford building and the Weeks building have served the YMCA admirably for 81 years. However, we have to acknowledge the different parts of the building were built in 1923 and 1927, respectively. This building was built to serve adult men exclusively. Women were restricted to entering the building from the Main Street side. This is to point out the era this facility was built during."

Foot said the Y's childcare center was a former bowling alley.

"While it meets licensing needs, it's not designed as a childcare center." The dance studio was a former billiards parlor; the executive director's office a former kitchen and the chief financial officer's office a former locker room.

"This is all to say the YMCA over these eight decades is a wonderful example of re-use. Foot also noted a cuspidor (where men used to spit tobacco) is mounted in the wall of the Brophy swimming pool, which "underscores the age of the [facility]."

This year alone, just to stay in its present location, the Y will spend $350,000 for capital repairs and upgrade of its facility.

"The boilers, furnaces, plumbing and heating systems are deteriorating with age," said Foot.

Barnard said part of the benefit of having the various town agencies meet with Y officials early in the processes to alert "them to what the issues will be."

"We don't want to have someone not know about something when they're in the middle of designing their project," she said. "We're making sure everyone is understanding what the proposal is and what input will be expected from them as they go along, what studies will be needed and the issues they'll have to consider." Barnard said the assessor's card identifies Mahackeno as a 26-acre site.

Asked if she considered the Y relocation a major project, Barnard said any facility in a residential neighborhood with a building the size that's being proposed would be considered a major application. The camp facility is located in a triple A residential zone. The maximum allowed height of buildings in the zone is 40 feet and three stories.

While some residents worry that the departure of the Y from downtown will lead to more commercial development at a key intersection, Foot said the Y selling the Main Street/Post Road facility to a private developer achieves two things.

"The Town of Westport is enriched to the tune of $300,000 - $400,000 in tax revenue annually in perpetuity (The Y downtown facility is tax-exempt). Number two, the Y is a winner because it has a major source of funding for the new YMCA at Mahackeno.

Before Y officials settled on Mahackeno, numerous options were explored, including consolidating with the Fairfield YMCA and the Norwalk YMCA, but either joint venture would have required the Fairfield or Norwalk YMCA agreeing to move their operations closer to Westport's border.

If the proposed facility at Camp Mahackeno is eventually approved, it will allow the Westport/Weston YMCA to build a 50-meter indoor pool. The organization's aquatics program is nationally regarded and the competitive swimming program is nationally ranked.

However, the athletes are at a disadvantage training in a 25-meter pool when they compete in 50 meter swims. Also, "we have to go to other facilities to have major meets," said Foot.

A new building will also allow the Y to provide educationally appropriate childcare facilities, enhanced locker rooms for those who might need to help a child or grandchild of the opposite sex get ready for an activity and improved and expanded fitness facilities. The new building will also be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The current Y has limited handicapped access. While there is a ramp entrance and an elevator to get to the upper floors, there are 16 different elevations on the first floor alone, said Foot.

First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell was asked about the Y move at her Citizens' Brown Bag Luncheon Wednesday afternoon. She informed attendees that the proposal is still in the formative stage.

"To my knowledge, they have not started a traffic study," she said. If a new Y building is approved for Camp Mahackeno, the primary entrance to the facility will be off Merritt Parkway, exit 41, on Sunny Lane. According to Y literature, traffic consultants will identify appropriate traffic mitigation measures.

Foot said while the old building has served the Y well, "the fact is it's not meeting our needs and the needs of the community right now."