ALBANY, Ore. — The Mid-Willamette Family YMCA received $10,000 from the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning’s Pacific Power Fund toward its campaign to build a new 40,000 square-foot facility. The existing YMCA building, originally a farm implement company building built in 1944, is woefully inadequate to serve a growing community.

“We’re extremely grateful to Pacific Power and the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning because it’s the local support that’s going to make this project possible,” said Jim Asleson, executive director of the Mid-Willamette Family YMCA. The PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning is the charitable arm of Pacific Power.

Recalling her own youth participating in local YMCA programs, Doris Johnston, Pacific Power’s regional community manager, hopes that the Albany-area businesses and residents will step forward and carry the organization to its goal. “I grew up using the YMCA for swimming, campouts and other programs as a child,” said Johnston. “It’s always been there for our community and I’m hopeful that we now can support them.”

According to Asleson, the YMCA has served a population that has grown from 13,000, when it opened in 1960, to about 44,000. Further, its membership has grown by 2,000 in the past 10 years.

“Currently, we operate in a 22,000 square-foot building that wasn’t designed to be a YMCA,” he said. “For instance, we have one pool with just four lanes, and 25 yards in length; you just can’t make a larger one that easily.”

The new facility will have a strong aquatic emphasis with two pools: one for family recreation and lessons, and a lap pool. A new building will also feature a gymnasium, wellness center, fitness studio, locker rooms, a center for teens and older adults, racquetball courts and a childwatch center.

Asleson said that current youth programs are operated offsite because of inadequate facilities. “We’re looking forward to having summer day camp onsite instead of at a middle school,” he said. “Plus we’d like to have expanded after-school programs.”

Calling its capital campaign “Bridging Generations,” the YMCA is trying to raise $9 million. To date, it has obtained $3.2 million in cash and pledges.
“We hope as we approach the public phase of our campaign, that the PacifiCorp Foundation gift will inspire other companies and individuals,” Asleson said.

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