Community leaders hear high praise for YMCA programs

Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas gave a glowing endorsement of the YMCA during a meeting last Thursday at Mountain Home's city hall.

The meeting had been called by Mayor Tom Rist to give select community members a chance to see what the Y could offer the city of Mountain Home.

The Treasure Valley YMCA has created a Community Leadership Development Committee (CLDC) in Mountain Home to explore the possibility and feasibility of entering into a partnership with the Western Elmore County Recreation District (WECRD) to bring Y programs to the area.

With both supporters and opponents of the WECRD filling city hall, Nancolas described "the tremendous experience we've had with the Y."

Caldwell, he said, "had been in a state of disinvestment" and suffering from a high crime rate, when community leaders decided something needed to be done several years ago. After a series of surveys and public town hall meetings, it was determined that a recreation center "for family and kids" should be put in the city's long-range plan, "even though, we didn't know what it would be."

"A committee was formed, just as you are doing now," he said, referring to the CLDC.

Caldwell contacted the Y because "the values they represented were what we wanted, and they gave us confidence" in the process, which the CLDC is now embarking upon.

That process involves surveying the community and businesses to determine what the area wants, "and if there is enough money to do it."

The Y's process, he said, "is very methodical, very well thought out, to make sure it's right."

See the Mountain Home News for the complete story.