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Maquoketa recreation center to take YMCA name

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By Sheri Melvold | Saturday, July 21, 2007 |

MAQUOKETA, Iowa — Maquoketa City Council members have changed the name of the Area Recreation Center to the Maquoketa Area Family YMCA.

The city has contracted with the Scott County Family YMCA to manage the center, which is under construction at Summit and Matteson streets. The facility will have an indoor pool, gym and fitness center when it opens in October or November.

The name change was made this week with a unanimous vote, but it started out with some concerns raised by council members at a Finance Committee meeting.

Council member Galen Saunders said he wanted ARC included in the name. He said a lot of people have donated money and worked on the project for several years. Council member Paul Hahle agreed, noting the city “still has an identity with the ARC.”

Frank Klipsch, president and CEO of the Scott County YMCA, said they are beginning to market the facility.

“There’s some confusion with the ARC and the YMCA. Our goal is to fill the place. We want to recognize the people who have done the work. We’re not a facility. The Y is more than a building,” he said.

Klipsch suggested the ARC and a list of donors be painted on the gymnasium wall inside the facility.

Hahle and Saunders agreed with the proposal and this week the rest of the council did, too.

Council members also directed City Manager Brian Wagner to work up a lease agreement with the Y for the upstairs of the Maquoketa Community Center.

Klipsch said the Y would like to use the facility for fitness classes and other programs that won’t fit in the new facility. There was no indication the Y would pay for the use of the community center. Currently, the council is paying the Scott County Y a yearly fee of $125,000 to operate the facility, plus $75,000 a year for three years in start-up funds.

The city is also negotiating with Hillcrest Family Services for it to lease the basement of the community center. Klipsch said they had no problem with Hillcrest’s presence and possibly could help them with programming.

Mayor Tom Messerli asked Wagner to see if residents who use the center to walk inside during the winter or those who rent the facility for family events would still be able to use the facility without joining the Y.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.