Mary Free Bed YMCA will be first of its kind in 'universal design', create 40 new jobs

The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids broke ground last week on its new $30 million facility in Cascade Township – a massive 116,220-square-foot LEED-Certified facility funded through an investment by its community partners at the Mary Free Bed Guild that will be the first of its design on a national level. 

The new Mary Free Bed YMCA will replace the existing 35-year-old Cascade Township building and will incorporate traditional Y health and wellness activities and programs with a new level of "universal design" to create an integrated facility suited to the needs of individuals with ability levels that fall anywhere on the spectrum. 

The 36-acre campus will include an indoor aquatics center, sports courts, group fitness classrooms, fitness area, indoor track, teaching kitchen, greenhouse, and learning classrooms as well as an outdoor sports complex with sports fields, tennis courts, an activity trail, children's playground, wheelchair softball field and a farm-to-table program – complete with an on-site community garden and greenhouse. 

Ron Nelson, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, says the new healthy living center is the manifestation of many existing partnerships forged between the Y and similarly invested area organizations, including the Michigan Nutrition Network, among others. 

"We've also been talking with various organizations, from school districts through West Michigan Environmental Action Council to the Innovation High School as part of the Kent Intermediate Unit - just to a variety of organizations that have an interest in conducting programs and activities or have a similar interest in investing in the disabled population," Nelson says. 

With scheduled competition of fall 2015 still about a year out, Nelson says they expect the new facility to create 40 new jobs, though the number won't be a concrete one until the building is closer to opening. He says the majority will be part-time positions for fitness instructors and personal trainers, as well as in aquatics, maintenance, membership services, and office/clerical work. . 

Nelson says the YMCA will most likely hold a job fair to recruit these new hires, but details on that won't be announced until about six months out from the opening date.  Progressive AE is serving as the architect on the project and Rockford Construction will manage the construction.

Written by Anya Zentmeyer
Images Courtesy of Terry Johnston Photograph