The aquatic center at the downtown YMCA in Des Moines is nearing completion after a long delay. The project was slowed by fundraising challenges.
Concrete is in place for the Olympic-size pool adjacent to the Y, but construction dust still fills the air. The eight-lane, 50-meter pool is costing around $10 million to build. YMCA of Greater Des Moines CEO Dave Schwartz says raising the money has required patience.
“I’ve been on board just a year now, and we’ve made great progress," he says. "We feel really comfortable where we’re at, and we’re excited to get it open.”
Schwartz, says there is now enough money to finish the job.
“Here, we’re at a point today where we see the work behind us, and we know in the next seven to eight months this facility is going to be completed,” he says.
The pool was originally scheduled to open in July of 2015, but fund-raising fell $6 million short. Now, water will begin flowing into it and smaller warm-up pool in early 2018. The facility includes 1,500 seats and is expected to attract local, regional and national swimming events.
