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Atlantic City Council receives request for funding YMCA Expansion Project

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February 7th, 2025 by Ric Hanson

[This post was delayed due to an issue with our publishing software]

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday night (Feb. 5th), received request for a commitment to contribute more than $6 and a quarter million-dollars towards expansion of the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, in Atlantic. The request was made as part of a presentation by Vision Atlantic Committee members Christina Bateman, YMCA Executive Director Dan Haynes, and YMCA Board President Bob Sharp.

Christina Bateman started-off by expressing Vision Atlantic’s appreciation the City’s previous “Timely generous support of [our] projects through the contribution of the housing land and the development agreement.”

If an initial budget appropriation of at least $2.5-million dollars is approved by the Council, Bateman says Vision Atlantic would like to “engage in discussions [with the City]…to work and find a way to contribute the remaining $3.77-million dollars.” Dan Haynes said if the City doesn’t agree to contribute toward the fundraising effort, it risks losing a grant from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation for an new Day Care Center and project.

Haynes said the YMCA Board and staff have raised about $2-million dollars over the past 21-years to upgrade and renovate the YMCA to keep it current and maintained.

Haynes pointed out also, that Vision Atlantic has assumed almost the entire financial risk for the (separate) housing expansion project, and because they’ve taken on the TIF incentive as a rebate, thereby removing the bonding requirement for the City of Atlantic. City Councilman Mike McDermott asked Atlantic City Administrator John Lund about funding options. Lund said he thinks he can fit the funds into the budget.

The Atlantic City Council will hold a Budget Work Session Tuesday, Feb. 11th beginning at 5:30-p.m., during which they will discuss and possibly agree to commit the requested, initial $2.5-million for YMCA Expansion Project funds.