The Duneland Family YMCA plans this year to build a new 15,000-square-foot Wellness Center addition to its Healthy Living Campus on the old Chesterton Middle School site.
Dave Kasarda, CEO of the Duneland Family YMCA, revealed what’s next for the ongoing transformation of the middle school building into the Y campus during Monday’s Chesterton Town Council meeting.
“The town of Chesterton has really stepped up and done an outstanding job in getting us to the point we are now, which is getting ready for construction,” Kasarda said.
When the new addition is finished, it will allow the Duneland Family YMCA to close its present facility at 215 Roosevelt St., said Amy Curtis, the Duneland YMCA’s director of programs and partnerships.
Duneland YMCA has already taken over the old Chesterton Middle School and moved its aquatics, youth sports and senior programs into the east side of the building. The Y also offers a walking club, STEM and robotics programs.
Along with the Y, the Duneland School Corporation retained its administration offices and some programs on the campus. There are a number of community agencies that will become part of the Healthy Living Campus.
Construction crews in recent months have been working on demolishing the western portion of the old building, including the Goldsborough Gym. The school auditorium, though, was saved and is now part of the Y campus.
The projected cost of the addition is expected to be around $500 per square foot, Kasarda said after the meeting. That would calculate to around $7.5 million.
Kasarda said the addition would allow the Y to move all of its exercise programs along with cardio and strength equipment from its present building on Roosevelt Street.
The Y will carry out projects over some years as money becomes available from an ongoing fundraising campaign.
Site preparation work is expected to start next month, which includes the old football stadium and track facility.
Cleveland-Cliffs has donated money for the development of a 20-acre park that will stretch east of 8th Street between Morgan and Porter avenues. Among its features will be walking paths, gardens and a gathering space.
The Dunbar Family Foundation is sponsoring an events pavilion that will be located within the Cleveland-Cliffs Community Park.
Councilman James Ton, R-1st, said that he believes the Duneland Y project will help revitalize the west side and bring economic development to Broadway.
“This is very much a positive step. The west side has needed this for a while,” Ton said.
Councilwoman Jennifer Fisher, R-5th, added that it’s also believed the downtown businesses will benefit.
“People are so excited in the downtown area for this project,” Fisher said.
In other business, town officials are going to be meeting with Norfolk Southern Railroad officials to discuss potential safety enhancements at the Calumet Avenue crossing downtown.
A bicyclist was killed at the crossing on Feb. 28. Town officials are concerned because a new downtown parking lot at Grant Street and N. Calumet Avenue will require pedestrians going to the European Market on Saturdays to cross the tracks.
Council also:
*Authorized the town attorney to proceed with eminent domain court proceedings, if necessary, for the town to acquire the Duneland Collision Repair property at the corner of 15th Street and Broadway. The town wants to convert the property into a vehicle compound.
*Approved amending the Coffee Creek Center Planned Unit Development to allow the Dunkin Donuts at 502 Pintail Trace to install another digital menu board to serve the second of two drive-thru lanes.
*Heard from Town Engineer Mark O’Dell about a resident’s request to be able to keep ducks. The town does allow residents to have chickens. O’Dell said that Portage allows residents to have up to two ducks.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
