May 28, 2024 | By: Lakeland News
Greater Bemidji & YMCA Partnering to Build Wellness Center in Rail Corridor
Greater Bemidji has announced a partnership between them and the YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties to construct a wellness center in Bemidji’s rail corridor.
Less than a year ago, Sanford Health, the original planned owner and operator of the center, backed out of the commitment after a difficult financial year for the health care industry. Ever since, Greater Bemidji has been searching for a new operating partner, and they now believe they’ve found the best possible option with the YMCA.
“One, is there an organization that has worked in rural areas before?” said Dave Hengel, Greater Bemidji Executive Director, on the criteria used to pick a partner. “They have multiple facilities – one in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, I think two or three in Fargo itself. They also operate 20,00 daycare slots, which is again a really critical need here in our community.”
The original $33 million cost for the wellness center, which was pitched in 2021, won’t cover everything that was originally designed for the center, so the YMCA will have to make adjustments to original plans.
“The building has to be a little bit different than what it was originally because what, $1 million bought you even 18 months ago was not what $1,000,000 would buy you today,” explained Steve Smith, YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties President and CEO. “And so that’s just part and parcel of this. You know, we talk about it all the time that the building that we’ll see today will be the cheapest it will ever be, because inflation will continue to put that number up. You know, those are things that we have to make [decisions on] as we move forward from here.”
Greater Bemidji and the YMCA are still in discussions about whether the YMCA will be owner and operating partners, or just operators of the wellness center. They hope a decision will be made by the end of this July.
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