A planned expansion at the YMCA Glenn Carpenter Centre in Saint John is one step closer to reality.
Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a rezoning application for the Foster Thurston Drive property.
Work is currently underway on a $3.5-million project to expand the popular centre and its offerings.
It includes a new one-storey multi-purpose building that would house an after-school program for 90 children.
“There’s a huge waitlist in our facilities for after-school programming,” said Shilo Boucher, president and CEO of the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick.
Having additional after-school spaces at the Glenn Carpenter means the YMCA will be able to open more child-care spaces at its Millidgeville Community Centre.
RELATED: $3.5M expansion of YMCA Glenn Carpenter Centre underway
Boucher said the $3.5-million expansion will not only allow for additional after-school programming but also the ability to offer more community programming.
The facility will be able to open its doors year-round rather than just 10 weeks a year for summer day camps.
“Thinking about the YMCA in general, last year we served 44,000 people, and in this facility being expanded, we’re expecting to serve an additional 5,000 people,” said Boucher.
City councillors must still vote on the third and final reading of the rezoning application at a future meeting.
Coun. Barry Ogden said the expansion is a welcome addition to the community and the city as a whole.
“I’m a big, big believer that recreation is great for mental and physical health, it lowers our health-care costs, it’s great for learning,” said Ogden.
