Without prompting, Cherokee County YMCA Chief Executive Officer Mike Goforth boldly proclaimed the new YMCA “is as nice a YMCA as any community has.”

Members get to decide for themselves when the new YMCA opens at 5 a.m. Monday.

The first thing one notices about the new YMCA versus the old location is the huge difference in size. The new facility on Whelchel Road has 34,000 square feet of indoor space, plus a 16,000- square-foot water park. The old facility located on the Limestone College campus is about 17,000 square feet.

“The mission of the YMCA is to build strong kids, families and communities and the old YMCA didn’t have the space to fulfill that mission,” Goforth said.

Though the new YMCA does lack an indoor pool, a standardsize basketball gymnasium and an expansive wellness center that includes a full range of cardio and weight training equipment more than makes up for it.

The Cardio Room (top) awaits its first group of exercisers. At right, the cool, clear water at the bottom of the sliding tubes awaits to refreshen all who dare take the plunge. The water park is the most noticeable exterior feature of the new facility. More images appear on Page 11A. (Ledger photos / LARRY HILLIARD) Sarah Saunders, the YMCA’s fitness and wellness center director, said the new YMCA has the equipment to meet everybody’s fitness needs.

“I’m extremely excited,” Saunders said. “We have the opportunity to grow our program and to reach more individuals and to provide a total family wellness center.”

A multi-purpose room at the expansive facility will be equipped with 10 spinner machines — equipment that was not available at the old location. The new wellness center has beefed up weight training equipment, including Hammer Strength machines along with iron grip dumbbells.

“We have every essential aspect of free weights,” Saunders said.

Saunders lights up when she describes the new Cardio Wave machines that will allow members to burn calories more effectively without placing stress on the joints.

Another new piece of cardio equipment, Nu Step, is tailored for the needs of the Y’s senior members.

Also look for the YMCA to expand its youth programs with the additional space. Summer Parker, the facility’s program director, said she expects the Y’s successful basketball league, which was expanded last year to include the 13- to 15-yearold age group, to flourish even more with the stateof the-art gymnasium that includes two scoreboards.

A dividing curtain can be dropped to allow a variety of activities to take place in the space.

Parker noted because of the new facility she has the opportunity to add activities to the Y’s summer programs.

“I’m ecstatic to have this new facility,” Parker said.

Membership costs will rise slightly but Goforth said the new fees are in line or cheaper than other YMCAs.

Kathy Jackson, the Y’s membership director, said she expects to be busy over the next few months.

“I certainly expect a great influx of new members,” Jackson said. “We have so much to offer.”