Eau Claire YMCA plans move and expansion

Eau Claire YMCA Executive Director Ken Van Es made a presentation to the Eau Claire City Council this week that laid the foundation for preliminary plans to relocate and expand the existing downtown non-profit recreational facility to a 10-acre site located at the northeast corner of North Clairemont Avenue and Menomonie Street.

The new, 180,000-square-foot facility, which would cost between $30-40 million to construct, would ultimately be located on eight acres currently owned by the city and two acres that are owned by two private parties, Paul Bearson and Mike Bolle.

"The feedback we've received from the council has been positive. We have visited all sorts of parcels in the city over the last five years and we even purchased some land next to The Florian Gardens on the south side of the city...but ultimately, we feel the site near Carson Park is a great spot for the new "Y"," said Van Es, who added that the project is still in its infancy.