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TERRE HAUTE —
Good things don’t always come easy, and the long-awaited re-opening of the “Y” building in Terre Haute’s Fairbanks Park fits that platitude to a “T”.
The new Vigo County YMCA busted open its doors to the public on Monday, and early indications are that the facility will be a popular destination for a variety of community activities, but mostly as a fitness center where local folks can exercise indoors in their favorite ways.
The facility has long been a community treasure, and we should never forget that it was made possible initially through the extensive efforts of the former YWCA. While those who spearheaded and contributed to that project in the mid-1970s may no longer be involved, their legacy is an important part this city’s history. Monday would not have been possible if it had not been for their vision, energy and commitment.
After some rocky times, the building had been closed for about a year, and the City of Terre Haute was able to work out an agreement with the Clay County YMCA to re-open the facility as a “Y”. That is proving to be a popular decision, given the strong community response. Vigo County YMCA officials reported they had 360 members at the start of business Monday, which was 40 more than the goal they set for themselves. It’s likely that more new members were added during the day.
We applaud the City of Terre Haute and the Clay County YMCA for their work to make this re-opening happen. Keeping the facility online as a fitness and recreation center was clearly the right thing to do, and we’re convinced that the community appreciates this development.
