HONESDALE, Pa. — The Wayne County YMCA in Honesdale gives off historical vibes more than fitness vibes. Built in 1911 as an armory, it had several other purposes before the YMCA took over in 1979.
Executive Director Tina Hoehn says they've tried to make updates to the building over the years, but it's becoming more and more costly to operate.
"It's hard to heat this building because it's not insulated as well as it should be. Even just trying to replace windows or do anything like that, they're all different sizes. Because in 1911, they didn't think about that kind of stuff, so there's a lot of challenges," Hoehn.
But help is on the way for something new.
The YMCA received a grant of more than $372,000 from the Neighborhood Assistance Program to construct a new facility outside of Honesdale.
"They donated money that will go in this fund. And that'll just help us with that first phase, the infrastructure, looking at the land, seeing what can be done there. And if it can be done there for sure."
Hoehn says membership has increased since the pandemic, drawing new people to the area who are accustomed to a YMCA.
Andrew Nelson is one of those people who recently moved to Honesdale and joined the Y.
"I have to say I do like the dungeon-esque vibes down here. That's great for working out and lifting weights, but understanding that there might be a new location that's newer and a little bit bigger sounds great," Nelson said.
The hope is to find a property with enough space for outdoor activities because they've just outgrown the space and want to give the community all the amenities that other YMCAs offer.
"We really feel that the community is in need of something a little bit more. We're not handicapped-accessible like we'd like to be. We do the best we can. We need a facility that can serve everyone. We have a lot of ideas and programs that we can run that we can't here," Hoehn said.
The YMCA will still need to seek out more funding once they've completed the research and planning phase of this project.
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