Greater Bemidji Gives Update on YMCA Wellness Center Planned for Rail Corridor

It has been over a decade since the city of Bemidji first laid its vision to redevelop the historic rail corridor site in Bemidji’s downtown area. After many attempts, it seems plans are moving forward after Greater Bemidji provided updates to the city council during a work session this week.

The plans show significant social and economic benefits for the city while remaining financially feasible. They would include a cleanup of the rail corridor site, which has been contaminated with petroleum and other contaminants, before the development of a 60,000-square-foot community wellness center to be operated by the YMCA.

Greater Bemidji told the city council that the wellness center will expand childcare for the community and provide free meals for kids and seniors annually, all while increasing the city’s tax base and revenue.

“I feel like I want to knock on wood because this is two of the major things that our community has been striving for for decades,” said Dave Hengel, Greater Bemidji Executive Director. “One is a wellness center, which, you know, as community members, we’ve sought after for many years and tried and failed, quite frankly. The second is to clean up a contaminated site in the heart of our community. We know for sure the costs that are associated with site work, with the infrastructure, with cleanup, and we also know the state funds, that we’ve received about $1.6 million in state funds to go with it. So it’s at that point now where the council gets to make a decision to move forward or not.”

Greater Bemidji says the goal is to have the $35 million wellness center built, with the YMCA committing $10 million towards the project. The city and Greater Bemidji have raised just over $19 million of the remaining $25 million but say they are confident they can reach their goal.