TRAVERSE CITY -- Gary Schilkey has been a member of the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA for two decades.
His children played tennis and soccer there. He participates in an aerobics "boot camp" class that meets for workouts three times a week.
Over time, Schilkey saw demand rise at the community recreation center at the same time he watched the building age.
"You can see how old it is," he said, gesturing toward the indoor racquet courts, which were darkened and empty Wednesday as people played outside. "It's small and it's rundown."
If a capital campaign is successful, a new facility could be in the cards. YMCA leaders have raised about $5.3 million of the $11.2 million needed to start building a new, 89,000-square-foot structure on Silver Lake Road in Garfield Township.
That amount was enough to break ground this week on two new athletic fields at the 20.5-acre site. When completed, they will be open for YMCA soccer, lacrosse and Pop Warner football use, even before a building rises there.
The fields should be completed in September.
"Wherever we can get a field is where we've been playing," said Tom Van Deinse, the organization's chief executive officer. "As we continue to grow, that becomes more difficult to do."
YMCA directors added lacrosse a few years ago and registration levels now require three teams, Van Deinse said. Roughly 2,000 children are enrolled in football across the region.
The new structure will be built in phases once the campaign meets its funding goals.
A gymnasium, fitness center and recreation pool will be added first. The current facility on Racquet Club Drive in Garfield Township has no pool.
Tennis facilities later will move from the existing site once a new center is built, and a competitive pool will be installed. A fieldhouse is the last major component.
In all, the 175,000-square-foot complex is expected to cost $25.5 million.
When the capital campaign went public last year, about $4.6 million had been raised, about $700,000 less than current totals.
Van Deinse attributed the slow growth to the economic recession and a general desire among potential donors to postpone any giving.
Many organizations in this situation have needed to examine their approaches, often seeking out more small donors to offset a decline in larger gifts, said Jeanne Snow, executive director of the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation.
"It takes time to do these projects," said Snow, whose organization is working with the YMCA's campaign. "We have a long way to go."
How to help
For more information on the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA's capital campaign, or to donate, visit www.4good4ever.org and click on "Our Funds."
How to help
For more information on the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA's capital campaign, or to donate, visit www.4good4ever.org and click on "Our Funds."
