The chances of a YMCA coming to Aurora are much better thanks to community members who showed up to give their input on a recent feasibility study. A YMCA study team conducted the survey in April and 27 people were interviewed about several things including the community needs, programs in the community (met and unmet), financial concerns, community strengths and weaknesses.
After the study, Brad Toft chief executive officer with the Ozark Regional YMCA, came back to town to discuss the results with various community leaders.
Toft says the study concluded that there is a need for the YMCA program and he discussed several options within the “Y” spectrum that could benefit auroras.
Toft said Aurora’s YMCA will be like to the existing YMCA programs in Monett. While there are several programs that the YMCA does not manage in Monett, there are some, like youth clinics and basketball leagues that the Monett branch has taken over.
“We’re not looking to take care of programs, but add to existing and come up with new ones depending on what the community wants,” said Toft.
Some of the programs discussed are affordable childcare and wellness programs for children and active older adults.
Some taking part in the study expressed interest in the YMCA taking over city programs such as the Parks and Recreation activities due to financial constraints within the city budgets.
The fees to operate the branch will be based on memberships, which can be purchased as family or single. Aurora will most likely not have a full-fledged building (with a gym/weight room/workout area) to start and will operate as a store front for awhile. This will not change the program spectrum of the YMCA. The branch would still begin offering classes and programs, just out of other outlets.
There are four gymnasiums in Aurora with the high school, junior high, elementary and middle school and the schools would most likely have to be on board for facility usage.
Toft said he has spoken with the schools and hospitals and they are already positive about what the program can offer Aurora.
If the YMCA programs prove to be successful, then the regional directors and executives will look at building a full YMCA center in Aurora, eventually.
The process to getting a branch in Aurora will take awhile, but Toft says a supportive community can speed the process up.
