CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — The Clarion County YMCA is preparing for its new facility’s grand opening on Thursday, January 31.

The new facility, which is centrally located at 499 Mayfield Road, just off Route 68 near Clarion Hospital, Walmart, Pizza Hut, and the Intermediate Unit 6, will be beginning its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony inside the gymnasium at 10:00 a.m. Donors will also be recognized at this time.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, group tours will be available and the facility will be open to members beginning at 11:00 a.m.

“We are giving tours and allowing our members as well as non-members to come into the facility and see everything we have to offer here,” said Michelle Murray, Clarion County YMCA Marketing and Membership Director.

The current Clarion County YMCA facility, located at 15952 Route 322, will close on Tuesday, January 29, at 5:00 p.m. The YMCA will be closed on January 30 in preparation for the grand opening.

According to Murray, the YMCA has already had a number of people signing up for new memberships at the current Clarion County YMCA facility.

“People can get their memberships now, or they can wait and sign up for new memberships at the new location, however, we’re only doing membership sign-ups at the current location through January 28 because we’ll be moving equipment on January 29.”

The new facility, which is four times bigger than the current location, will include:

• Full service wellness center outfitted with cardiovascular and resistance training equipment, free-weights, and group exercise studios.
• Full gymnasium with a separate running/walking track.
• Family pool that will provide lap lanes, recreation and exercise, swimming lessons, aqua aerobics, and other activities.
• Full-day childcare for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and children before and after school through age twelve.
• Office space for outpatient rehabilitation.
• Outdoor athletic field.
• Administrative space with offices, conference rooms, work stations and kitchen.
• Multi-purpose rooms to support seniors in the mornings and children and teens after school.
• Support spaces, including lobby, reception, café, men’s and women’s locker rooms, family locker rooms, bathrooms, and storage.
• Family locker rooms with private changing area that will include a toilet, sink, and shower.
• Expanded Child Watch and Kids Adventure Center
• Outdoor Deck for picnics and receptions.
• Chapel

With the addition of the new facilities, new programming will be available as well.

“We will have pickleball, which is a big thing for older adults, some new pre-school programs like flip and dip, which is a beginner gymnastics and swimming program, swim lessons for various levels, water workouts for different levels, along with all kinds of other programs,” Murray said.

According to Murray, the new pool and the swimming and water exercise programs has been a major point of interest for many of those interested in new memberships.

“I would say there are many features in the new facility that are interesting to the public, but the swimming pool with the lap lanes is number one.”

Following the grand opening, the new Clarion County YMCA will be open weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with the pool opening at 6:00 a.m. Saturday hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday’s will be 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Prior to the grand opening, there will be an open house for the facility’s child care center on Thursday, January 24, and Friday, January 25, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on both days.

The Open House is for anyone interested in sending a child to the new Clarion County YMCA Younger Years Child Care Center.  The event is for parents and children.  Teachers and staff will be on hand to answer questions and give Child Care Center tours.

The YMCA Younger Years Child Care Center, which is slated to open in early February, is located on the lower level of the new facility

In addition to large rooms, caring teachers, and a character based curriculum, the YMCA will offer a swimming pool for swim lessons, an expansive indoor gymnasium space for large motor activities, a large outdoor playground, and outdoor sports fields for outdoor sports and activities.

The Child Care Center will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for youth ages six weeks old through age 12.

In addition to the child care program, there will also be a before and after school program available Monday through Friday to children within the Clarion Area School District, as well as a preschool program for ages three, four, and five.

For more information about the Clarion County YMCA and Y programs, please visit the YMCA website at www.clarioncountyymca.org, call 814-764-3400 and follow the Y on Facebook.