Reply #59: This just got paid for

[reinhardt]

http://wichita.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2007/08/27/story5.html

Greater Wichita YMCAs continue to raise the bar with renovations and improvements to their facilities.

In September, the South YMCA will unveil the Farha Sport Center in honor of lead donors Jim and Todd Farha. The $5.5 million, 55,000-square-foot facility will have eight basketball courts, spectator seating, a sports performance training center, a video training center and a concession lobby.

In October, the North YMCA will complete a renovation that gives it approximately 80 new parking spaces. It is also putting in state-of-the-art artificial turf on an area that is 320 feet by 220 feet, slightly larger than a football field.

The North YMCA, 3330 N. Woodlawn, will play its fall sports at different locations through the renovation. The project will cost about $400,000, says North Branch director Greg Gack.

"Our goal is to play all the sports on turf," Gack says. "It's got a high safety rating -- kids can pretty much fall on the ground and not get hurt."

The surface, called SuperTurf, is billed to be safer and stronger than natural grass. It will be installed by Andover-based ATG Sports Industries.

'A Godsend'
Earlier this summer, the West Suburban YMCA in Newton Corner, Mass., installed a similar artificial turf. West Suburban President and CEO Patrick Palmer says his was the second YMCA in the nation to install artificial turf.

"It's been a godsend for us, actually," Palmer says. "Before, if it rained on a Thursday, we had to cancel our events for Saturday and Sunday. The surface is great. It was a no-brainer for us."

The sports center at the South Branch YMCA, 3405 S. Meridian, is just west of the main building. Coonrod and Associates is the general contractor; Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey & Associates is the architect. The facility is named after Jim Farha, a retired thoracic/cardiovascular surgeon in Wichita, and his son Todd, president and CEO for WellCare Health Plans Inc. in Tampa.

YMCA director of communications Shelly Conrady says the stand-alone facility has room to expand if needed.

"We'll able to be serve about 11,000 youths in youth sports through a year's time," Conrady says. "We'd like to expand our adult leagues and we'd like to develop corporate leagues with businesses. We will keep this place busy year round."

Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey is also designing the new YMCA at Kellogg and Andover Road. Conrady says the contractor has yet to be determined for the project, which is expected to break ground in late fall.

Greater Wichita YMCA

Administrative offices: 3330 N. Woodlawn, Wichita, Kan. 67220.
Phone: [phone].
Locations: Six in Wichita, one in El Dorado, breaking ground in Andover later this year.
Web site: www.ymcawichita.org.