ROCKLAND, Maine — The YMCA is promising to retain the youth sports program offered by the Rockland recreation center if it takes over operations of the facility.
The chairman of the board and the executive director of the Penobscot Bay YMCA made a presentation Wednesday evening at City Hall. Fewer than 20 members of the general public attended the session, which was aimed at gathering comment from citizens about what they want for recreation programs. Only a handful spoke.
None of the people who came to earlier council meetings to criticize the proposal to end the city-run recreation program in exchange for a YMCA-run program attended the meeting.
The YMCA board will consider the proposal at its July 21 meeting and the City Council must vote on any agreement.
YMCA Chief Executive Officer Troy Curtis outlined terms of what the organization is offering the city. He said that youth basketball and soccer programs would be retained as would the summer day camp program. The cost of registration for those programs would have to increase, however, he said.
The weekly cost for the summer program is proposed to increase from $100 to $125, he said. Registration for basketball and soccer would increase from $20 to $25 for each sport.
The operation of the Rockland recreation programs will be a break-even endeavor at best, he said.
Curtis repeatedly pointed out that no one will be turned away because of an inability to pay and that the YMCA offers financial assistance. The application process is simple, he said, and the membership fee varies based on that income.
Children in sports programs and those attending summer camp will not need to become members. Curtis said youth who want to come to the recreation center to hang out will need to get a membership. There will be no cost for youth memberships for those in grades eight and younger. Membership cost for older students will be $17 per month. Again, he said, there will be financial assistance for those young people who can’t afford that amount.
Adults will need to have a membership to use the recreation center and cost will vary based on household income. People can also pay a daily fee for using the recreation center, he said.
Curtis also pointed out there are more than 1,000 YMCA members in Rockland.
One significant change will be hours of operation at the YMCA, Curtis said. The proposal calls for the YMCA to be open from noon to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays during the school year. The recreation center will be closed during the summer, he said.
This schedule reflects current use, he said. The summer camp will operate out of other YMCA locations.
The Penobscot Bay YMCA is based out of its complex in Rockport. In January, the organization opened a satellite facility on the Rockland waterfront.
Current tenants of the Rockland recreation center, such as Rockland District Nursing Association, will continue to use the building, Curtis said. He pointed out that the city will own the building and the YMCA’s role is to operate programs.