Residents plan to restore YMCA facility

By MARCUS MCCLAIN

NEA Town Courier

A recurring conversation has loomed over the city of Blytheville for a number of years. And the number one question residents start with is often, ‘What is there to do in Blytheville?’

While strides to provide better answers to this question and the ones that follow have been made, a group of community members are looking to take the answers a step further. The former YMCA building has sat completely vacant for more than a decade, but there is at least belief in the community that the facility is worth saving.

Blytheville resident Rene Ware recently leased the building and through a 501(c)(3) with O.D Bailey and Leanard Thompson, the group is fighting to change the community. Ware became en-trenched with the idea after her experience with AAU basketball. She became involved after her daughter began playing for Bailey, a long-time AAU coach for athletes throughout the county and beyond.

Finding space for their teams to practice has been a nagging issue, but also part of a large problem in the area.

“[Restoring the facility], would give our kids a safe environment that could provide structure. A lot of times kids are out in the streets and getting in trouble. We need to try avoiding issues that come with that,” Ware said. “The small troubles now can turn into major things in the future.

“It also could be a safe place for our young adults, and even our elders who want to come and exercise. We can have educational things there regarding agriculture and after-school programs. We have to want to better our community for it to be better.”

Thompson stated that his desire to join in the restoration efforts came after a visit from his granddaughter.

“What really moved me was the summer my five-year-old granddaughter came here, and there was nothing for her to do. Now I could take her out in the country, put her on the lawn mower and let her drive that with me,” he laughed. “She was ok with it, but overall, there was nowhere to take her. And when my daughter came back to pick her up, they went to Manila to go to their water park. So, why can’t we have some things here? We have a complex out there that's rot-ting down because we are failing to utilize it.”

He added that he envisions the facility having a similar community impact as the state tournament did in early March. With softball fields, a walking trail, weight lifting areas and space for much more, he believes it could become a draw for members of surrounding areas as well as Blytheville citizens.

The building’s essential needs are their main focuses at the moment. Bailey noted that the roof is their top priority, followed by the plumbing and electrical needs with the group in its preliminary stages.

Reviving the facility will be no small task however, with previous inclinations falling through the cracks. In 2011, early repair estimates were north of $750,000. But through building the community's de-sire and eagerness to make change, the group believes the rehabilitating of the facility is possible and more than worth the effort.