BOARDMAN YMCA A plan for wetlands

Construction on one building should begin soon.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Humility of Mary Health Partners is moving one step closer to putting a family style YMCA and permanent emergency building at its Market Street facility here with an application to move protected wetlands on the property.
The company has submitted an application to the Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh to move about 10.22 acres of combined wetlands on the grounds at the corner of Market and McClurg Road. According to the application, the company is looking to add several buildings to the property over the next five years, including the YMCA and emergency building and other ancillary buildings.
Mary Harvey, HMHP spokeswoman, said wetlands extend across the entire piece of property. She said the company has requested permission to install an underground culvert from the east side of the property to the west side of the property where the YMCA building will be built.
The culvert, Harvey said, will divert water to wetlands on the west side of the property. She said no wetlands to the west of the future YMCA site will be affected.
Relocation: According to Harvey, the company is also required to replace the affected wetlands in a different section of the same area. The company plans to move the wetlands to HMHP-owned property in the U.S. Route 224 and Lockwood Boulevard area at a ratio of 1.5 to 2 acres replaced for each acre taken in the project.
A temporary modular building for emergency services sits on the Market Street site but will be removed to make way for the permanent building and parking. The new structure will be built in the parking area for the modular building. When the building is finished, the modular building will be demolished to make way fo parking.
The modular building houses a full-service emergency room and enough radiology and laboratory facilities to support emergency room needs. HMHP officials have not decided what services will be offered in the new facilities. Harvey said more services will be offered in the new building than what is available at the temporary facility, but there will be no in-patient facilities in the building.
Any day now: Construction on the $9 million Family Branch YMCA should begin as soon as possible, weather permitting, said Harvey. The center will be owned and operated by the YMCA on a long-term lease with HMHP. HMHP will in turn lease space inside the building.
YMCA officials have said the new building is necessary to make room at its downtown Youngstown facilities, which has about 7,500 members and 30,000 program participants. Harvey said the new YMCA will not offer all that the main YMCA building offers but will have many beneficial programs and equipment.
The facility will feature a gymnasium; fitness equipment; indoor, outdoor and therapeutic pools; a whirlpool and sauna; senior citizen and youth centers; a nursery; a chapel; and a food court.
The traditional YMCA swim, fitness, youth and teen programs will be offered, and HMHP will offer physical, occupational and speech therapy. Sports medicine, medically supervised fitness programs and outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services will be offered as well.
jgoodwin@vindy.com