Planning for YMCA Visit

1. PLANNING FOR YMCA VISIT
July 23, 2015
OVERVIEW:
In 2011 a group of swim coaches, parents and enthusiasts gathered in College Station to discuss
the need for a competitive swimming and diving facility in the Bryan / College Station area.
Their discussion led to the creation of a panel within the Brazos Valley Sports Advisory
Committee which had become a branch of the local Convention and Visitors Bureau. That panel
has met repeatedly for over three years and made the following recommendations:
• the B/CS area lacks a quality indoor natatorium that can provide its
citizens with an affordable site for the local school districts’ swimming and
diving teams, local swimming and diving groups and year ‘round
recreational opportunities for families and senior citizens;
• the B/CS area needs to determine if an natatorium is needed and can be
built and financially supported by a consortium of community partners;
• a feasibility study by a contracted third party needs to be conducted
to determine if a natatorium is needed and can be built and financially
supported by a consortium of community partners;
• it should be determined if the cities, the school districts and aquatic-
oriented groups would benefit from having a third party, such as the
YMCA, operate a facility of which an indoor competitive natatorium
would be a part.
In 2014 the City of College Station’s Parks and Recreation Department contracted to have a
study of the department’s maintenance and operations of its aquatic facilities. The report
concluded that by using a third party to handle maintenance and operations of all aquatic M&O,
the City of College Station would realize annual savings of approximately $450,000.
In early spring 2015 a representative group of leaders from Bryan and College Station municipal
offices, Blinn College, College Station and Bryan independent school districts visited the Greater
Williamson County YMCA branches at Round Rock and Cedar Park. The group also visited the
Georgetown Recreation Center. In Round Rock the group heard from the GWC YMCA CEO
and President, Jeff Andresen, about how the new business model of the Y interacts with
municipal and county governments. In doing so, the GWC Y is able to create community
partnerships that collaborate to keep building, operation and management costs manageable,
reduce pressure on cities’ to provide programs, provide more programs to citizens at affordable
costs (no one is turned away from a Y program), and enable school districts to have access to
well-designed, equipped and managed aquatic facilities.

2. In addition, the Y’s programs also aid in the growth of tourism by attracting participants for
numerous events. Hospitals maintain physical therapy offices on site and prescribe the regimen
that their patients can engage in just outside their door under the guidance of a Y certified coach.
Day care, after school care, wellness programs, and parenting programs are also among the
offerings of a YMCA. The Y also provides and manages meeting and event space for special
interest groups.
In summation, the visiting group concluded that the Y has the ability to efficiently design and
operate a comprehensive facility that meets the aquatic, athletic, health-oriented meeting space
and activities needs for residents of all ages and economic backgrounds. Through its time-tested
business plan the Y brings a sought-after quality of life to more citizens within the communities
it serves.
THE VISIT:
On Friday, July 24th B/CS will be visited by a contingent of four leaders from the YMCA of
Greater Houston. They will be led by Paul McEntire, the Houston Area Y’s CEO and President.
The visit will include a lunch meeting at the College Station Hilton and a tour of Bryan and
College Station. No city funds or CVB funds have been spent or will be spent on this visit.
Generous sponsors have covered the costs of lunches, meeting space, audio visual equipment and
printing.
Approximately thirty members of the local community continue to support this effort of
exploration as it enters its fourth year. Twenty of that group plan to participate in the lunch
meeting with the YMCA representatives.
THE PREPARATION:
Before the visit, the panel has gathered the following information and forwarded it to the Y office
in Houston:
• Demographics for Bryan, College Station and communities within a 30
mile radius of B/CS
• A profile of the local economy
• Existing and needed day care and after school programs offered by Bryan,
College Station and the larger 30-mile area
• Existing and needed programs and facilities for senior citizens in Bryan,
College Station and the larger 30-mile area

3. • Hospitals in the area
• Physical exercise/therapy businesses in B/CS
• Other community program and space needs that could be served by a
YMCA
THE VISIT PARTICIPANTS:
YMCA of Greater Houston – (4)
Paul McEntire – President and CEO
Ray Purvis - VP Collaborations & Community Engagement
Shawn Borzelleri - VP Youth Development
Steve Wright - VP Healthy Living & Membership
Bryan/College Station and other Brazos Region representatives - (20)
Darrell Lovelette – Director of Parks & Recreation, City of Bryan
David Schmitz – Director of Parks & Recreation, City of College Station
Red Cashion – former NFL referee/current NFL trainer/local business owner
Barron Hobbs – College Station Hilton
Jay Primavera – General Manager, College Station Hilton
Steve Aldrich – Councilman, City of College Station
Karl P. Mooney – Councilman, City of College Station
Alsie Bond – Manager for Community Development Services, City of Bryan
Hugh Walker – Deputy City Manager, Support Services, City of Bryan
Shelly Peacock – Chair, Department of Health & Kinesiology, Blinn College
Kelli Shomaker – Sr. VP for Finance & Admin. Services, Blinn College
Lori Farrell – Director of Finance, B/CS Chamber of Commerce
Royce Hickman – President and CEO, B/CS Chamber of Commerce
Henry Clark – Swim Coach, TAMU Recreation Center
Rick Hall – Sr. Assoc. Director, TAMU Dept. of Recreational Sports
Kindra Fry – VP of Sales, B/CS Convention and Visitors’ Bureau
Lance Angel – Athletic Director, Bryan ISD
Chuck Glenewinkel – Director of Communications, College Station ISD
Tom Wilkinson – Executive Director, Brazos Valley Council of
Governments
Mark Maltsberger – Attorney in Bryan, formerly on Board of Directors,
and fundraiser for the YMCA Huntsville branch
CONTACT:

4. Dr. Karl P. Mooney E-mail: karlpmooney@gmail.com
Cell: 979-450-3341