Y will manage fitness facility, fundraise for pool
ONONDAGA HILL --
The YMCA of Greater Syracuse is partnering with Onondaga Community College to bring a new Y facility to the OCC Campus.
The strategic partnership was announced on Wednesday morning, though details of ownership, financing and staffing are not expected to be finalized until fall.
Hal Welsh, YMCA CEO, calls it 'a great opportunity' to serve both students and the community in the western suburbs. Debbie Sydow, OCC's President, says that the Y will manage fitness facilities being included in the new SRC center, but there's also a pledge to put up a swim center.
Welsh pledged the Y will start a fundraising campaign for the pool: he says it would cost $1.5 to $2 million for a basic six lane pool, which he calls old fashioned. He says warm water pools are really popular now, though they'd cost more. So far, no details on when this all would be ready, but Sydow hopes it will open at the same time as the SRC Center, at the end of 2011.
The current pool is closing this coming weekend. Lap swimmers were getting their last visits in as the announcement was being made, and say they're still upset that they'll be left with no 'home' while the new project is done. Hugh Polichemi, a retired OCC professor, was among those swimming. He says he's exploring the Solvay Youth Center as an alternative, but worries about how crowded it's going to be.
On the announcement board at the pool, there are offers of swim time at Valley Pool, at Clary School, near Meachem Field. Syracuse Parks and Recreation workers were also handing out flyers, and are suggesting Southwest Community Center's Pool as an alternative (they say there's a security guard in the parking lot, and in the pool area).
At the announcement, Welsh also committed to building a YMCA for Camillus, though that project is still in the site exploration stage.
Click here for a related CNYCentral.com story. 
