World’s largest YMCA opens in northwest Calgary
Posted Feb 1, 2018 3:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The doors officially opened Thursday at the Shane Homes YMCA in the northwest community of Rocky Ridge.
The facility cost $192 million to build and stands at 284,000 square feet. There are over 9,000 Calgarians signed up for memberships — three times the number originally expected.
The YMCA includes an eight-lane competition pool, a leisure and wave pool with two water slides, hot tubs and steam rooms, two ice rinks, exercise areas, running track, an art studio, childcare, food services, a 250-seat theatre, a medical clinic and a self-serve library.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi was on hand for the unveiling and said he is happy the project was both on time and on budget.
“There is an incredible demand right now in northwest Calgary for this kind of facility, and I hope that it will serve as a place for community building for generations to come,” he said.
CEO and president of YMCA Calgary Shannon Doram said membership sales surpassed expectations.
“I think people were waiting for a facility like this and we know the city itself has grown, and there are a lot of young families in this part of the community, and this combines a lot of amenities in one place,” she explained.
The facility is the third of four new recreation wellness centres to open in underserved areas as part of a $480 million investment by The City of Calgary.
