How The North Kingstown Sports Center Can Change Our Town

The Greater Providence YMCA is an organization with consists of several YMCA locations, one of them being North Kingstown's West Bay Family YMCA. Having visited every YMCA in this organization as well as countless YMCA locations nationwide for my business, I would say West Bay is one of the smallest and least modern facilities in the YMCA family. If you take the drive to Kent County or Weymouth, MA or Quincy, MA you will notice a modern facility with a huge footprint dedicated to "Youth development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility." These three principles are touted on every YMCA webpage and the YMCA strives to create a safe environment for athletes of all ages, fitness programs for active older adults, after school programs for at risk youth and much more.

In late September, like most YMCA members, I received an email from Greater Providence YMCA CEO Steven O'Donnell. This email was written to inform members of the West Bay YMCA location that "our particular branch at West Bay has struggled financially for many years. It is well known that there has been a lack of sustained maintenance over the years to the infrastructure repairs needed at the West Bay Family Y, and the cost to repair would not be a fiscally prudent decision. The renovations needed to bring this facility up to minimal standards have been assessed at approximately $2 million. In addition, upgrading this building into a state-of-the-art facility would be more than twice the amount of this cost ($4 million). The costs associated with bringing this facility to where we believe it deserves to be is not financially feasible."

The email went on to inform members and staff that a transition plan would take effect soon. This plan includes encouraging members to use other facilities (quoting the email "As a member of the West Bay Family YMCA, you have access to any of our branch locations") as well as moving staff to other locations. It was a well written email which was informative and sincere. Mr. O'Donnell finished the email by stating, "It is our hope that our members continue to stay involved as we continue to move forward with our mission."

I have been attending YMCA programs as a child and a parent for close to 40 years. When I graduated from Springfield College, I did my internship at the North Suburban YMCA in Woburn, MA. My brother and sister both swam competitively for South County YMCA, so I tagged along and played basketball in the various New England YMCA gyms during their swim meets. My children have all been to Kent County, Barrington, South County, West Bay, as well as several in Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina during business trips of mine. I worked out at the West Bay YMCA for years as has my mother, who utilized their Active Older Adult swim programs. Oh by the way, my business is fitness equipment sales, so I have visited about 250 YMCA locations nationwide. Ok, Mr. O'Donnell, here is how I would like to stay involved as a member of the YMCA family for close to 40 years.

Transition the West Bay YMCA into the North Kingstown Sports Center in 2019. Our town sports programs include softball, swimming lessons, baseball, lacrosse,soccer, flag football, tackle football, basketball, and I'm sure I am missing some. One constant the Town of North Kingstown has never had - an indoor Recreation Center. I can attest to this having lived in North Kingstown for the better part of 46 years. Weather permits players from working out on the lacrosse fields and baseball diamonds and field hockey fields for a good portion of the fall and spring, let alone the winter months. These players can work out indoors, right here in North Kingstown. Right now, baseball players are training in Coventry, Warwick, Pawtucket. Lacrosse is training at Wide World of Sports. Our recreation basketball programs are located at Wickford Middle School and the North Kingstown High School. There are thousands of youth athletes in the town of North Kingstown who are working out right now, OUTSIDE OF NORTH KINGSTOWN and PAYING MONEY TO WORK OUT OUTSIDE OF NORTH KINGSTOWN!!!

Imagine this scenario for the North Kingstown Sports Center. A central location for all sports in North Kingstown. You can run training seminars in the weight room with a certified fitness professional and collect dues from leagues. You can rent out the group exercise room for off season conditioning programs for football, lacrosse, soccer, and gymnastics. You can transform the group cycling room into batting cages for softball and baseball leagues and collect individual or group fees for rental. You can install a retractable basketball hoop on any of the studios downstairs and have half court tournaments and basketball open gyms. For the pool, continue to have swimming lessons and water aerobics and reach out to local physical therapists to rent time in the pool for therapy treatments. Keep one room for parents to exercise while their youth athlete is taking swings in the batting cage or working out with a sports specialist or playing basketball. Every single room, every single studio, every meeting room can be utilized by the North Kingstown Sports Center to make money. Get rid of the monthly membership dues, the contracts, the overpriced and underachieving return on investment. Use each room as a money maker.

Mr. O'Donnell, The Town of North Kingstown, and anyone who wants to hear me, I say open the door to the possibility of the North Kingstown Sports Center and they will come. The youth population in the Town of North Kingstown is always going to be there. North Kingstown has just approved 27 Million dollars for renovations on schools and fields. Our NKHS football team is incredible. Our recreation program has been in existent longer than I have been alive. Our local leagues have incredible volunteers and parents who want the best for their youth athletes. Right now, they are taking their kids to other towns, to other facilities, to pay money for fees and dues and memberships that we, the Town of North Kingstown, should be and could be receiving. Imagine a facility that could benefit the youth of North Kingstown for years to come. As of right now, the West Bay YMCA will close its doors and the building will lay vacant like so many other buildings here in North Kingstown. Or, we can be proactive and establish the North Kingstown Sports Center for generations to use.

Thank you for your time.

Noel P. Roby

Sports fan, Parent, Wickford Middle School grad, North Kingstown High School grad