THERE ARE MORE THAN A DOZEN YMCA
IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA WORKING TO
SERVE AND BETTER OUR COMMUNITY.
WELL, THIS IS VERY EXCITING NEWS
HERE ON THE RIVERSIDE AREA.
THE NEWEST YMCA WILL BE OPEN IN
JUST ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
NOW BEHIND ME YOU CAN SEE THE
EIGHTH YMCA.
RIGHT THERE IS WHERE YOU'LL BE
ABLE TO FIND A YMCA IN RIVERSIDE
SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN AUGUST.
IT WILL REPLACE THAT GATE NEXT
DOOR.
THAT HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 1954.
AS FAR AS THE NEW CONSTRUCTION,
ELIZABETH CAMPBELL STOPPED BY
AND SHE IS GOING TO SHOW US A
LITTLE INSIDE AND TELL US ABOUT
HOW THEY'RE GOING TO POSITIVELY
IMPACT THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE FEELING GREAT.
WE'RE KIND OF ANXIOUS AND REALLY
BUILDING UP TO IT BUT WE'RE
EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
IT'S GOING TO BRING TO
JACKSONVILLE AND ALL OUR
MEMBERS.
SO YEAH.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
REPORTER: FLORIDA'S FIRST
COAST YMCA PRESIDENT AND CEO
ERIC MANN CAN'T BELIEVE THE TIME
IS HERE.
THE YMCA IS ON SCHEDULE TO OPEN
IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
THE NEW Y WILL SERVE THE
NEXT FIVE GENERATIONS.
JUST LIKE THE EIGHTH Y SERVED
THE PREVIOUS FIVE GENERATIONS.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THE YMCA IS GOING TO DO MORE IN
THE COMMUNITY.
NOT JUST IN THIS FACILITY.
BUT IN OUR OVERALL SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES.
REPORTER: THE YMCA IS
REPLACING THE EIGHTH YMCA ALONG
RIVERSIDE AVENUE.
THE BOARD -- ONE OF THE
THINGS THE BOARD TALKED ABOUT
FROM THAT -- REALLY FROM THERE
IS HOW DO WE REPLACE THE EIGHTH
YMCA WHICH HAS BEEN HERE SINCE
1954.
REPORTER: CONSTRUCTION BEGAN
IN 2015 AND ERIC IS EXCITED
ABOUT WHAT THE NEW FACILITY WILL
OFFER.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A VERY
COMPREHENSIVE LIVING CENTER
INCLUDED
INCLUDED.
THE INSTRUCTOR WE HAD IS
STILL THE SAME INSTRUCTOR.
SHE WATCHED ME GO THROUGH A LOT
OF CHANGES IN SIX YEARS AND WHAT
I'M ABLE TO DO.
I WAS ON CRUTCHES AT ONE TIME.
AND SO DO I GIVE THE Y CREDIT
FOR THAT?
I DO.
REPORTER: SHE IS MOST
EXCITED ABOUT THE BIGGER WORKOUT
AVAILABLE AT THE NEW WINSTON
FACILITY.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE 8 OR 10
PEOPLE.
IT WORKS FOR US.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE 15 PEOPLE.
AND IT'S -- A LITTLE CLOSE.
SO WE HAVE HEARD THAT NOW WE
HAVE SENIORS -- WILL HAVE THEIR
OWN SPECIAL ONE AND ALL THE
THINGS WE NEED.
REPORTER: JIM IS AT UNITY
PLAZA OFF THE STREET FROM THE
EIGHTH AND NEW WINSTON LOCATION
AND ENJOYED SEEING THE
CONSTRUCTION HAPPEN RIGHT BEFORE
HIS EYES.
IT'S A NEW PUSH FOR THE
CITY.
IT'S A NEW LOOK.
THIS IS EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.
ESPECIALLY BEING CLOSER TO THE
RIVER.
REPORTER: THE NEW YMCA WILL
HELP THE COMMUNITY BE ACTIVE AND
HEALTHY BUT OUTREACH DIRECTOR
SAYS (INAUDIBLE) WILL BE
REACHED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF MENTORING
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE SERVE PEOPLE OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY TO HELP PROGRAMS.
REPORTER: ERIC COULDN'T BE
MORE PROUD OF WHAT IS TO COME
AND ENCOURAGES THE COMMUNITY TO
COME BY THE CONSTRUCTION SITE TO
CHECK IT OUT.
THIS FACILITY IS REALLY
SERVED -- HAS REALLY SERVED ITS
PURPOSE AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO
HAVE THENECK GENERATION TO CALL
IT THE Y 2.0.
REPORTER: YOU CAN HEAD TO
FIRSTCOASTYMCA.ORG TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THE FUTURE WINSTON Y.
AND YOU CAN EVEN WATCH A LIVE
FEED OF THE CONSTRUCTION IN
REALTIME AS IT'S GETTING DONE.
THAT FACILITY ONCE AGAIN IS
SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN
AUGUST.