By Lara Fominoff @fomsy1 on Twitter

Lethbridge City Council gives green light for YMCA to operate ATB Centre Phase 2

Sep 25, 2017 | 4:52 PM

LETHBRIDGE – The YMCA in Lethbridge will operate the second phase of the ATB Centre in west Lethbridge once it opens, after City Council unanimously gave the go ahead at its meeting Monday afternoon. (Sept. 25)
 
The term of the agreement will run nearly 41 years, with the City of Lethbridge helping to fund the centre’s operation for the first four years. Funding will gradually decrease as revenues increase.
 
The money will come from the city’s operating budget each year as follows:
2019 – $2.19 million
2020 – $1.39 million
2021 – $843,000
2022 – $286,000
 
The YMCA’s contribution will inlcude $1.55 million towards fitness equipment, $750,000 for capital costs and $250,000 for a freestanding outdoor event sign.
 
ATB Centre Phase 2 Project Manager Ashley Matthews says the agreement between the city and the YMCA is the culmination of two years of hard work.
 
“It has been a long process. And you know, when I look back, it doesn’t seem like that long, but two years is a long time. There’s a lot of things that had to be discussed by both sides and obviously come to a mutual agreement as to how we’re going to operate.”
 
He says the other thing they did do, is a lot of research work on other facilities, like those in St. Albert and Grande Prairie. They focused on how those other centres operated, what worked and what didn’t. He believes that they have come up with one of the most thorough agreements he’s encountered in his 25 years of working for the city.
 
Matthews explains there will also be a few spaces for businesses to lease, once construction is completed.
 
“There’s three areas within the facility that have been designated as areas that can be leased out to the private sector. Really what we’re looking at is three different areas that complement services that are being offered within the facility itself.”
Examples might be a wellness centre, or food and beverage services. The YMCA will be responsible to carry that out and find someone to lease the space.
 
There will be also be scheduled and drop-in programming, for things like the indoor track, a fitness centre, major aquatics centre, multi-sport field house, and an indoor playground.
 
The ATB Centre Phase 2 is expected to open to the public April 1, 2019.