Board's planning tentative

Family Y considers building center in Columbia County, but no definite plans have been made

Web posted October 29, 1998

By Peggy Ussery
Columbia County Bureau

While they know the demand is there, the Family Y board of directors wants to do a little more investigating before jumping into Columbia County.

``We really don't have anything definite, like where we're going, how we're going to raise money and all that yet,'' said Tara Conway, chairwoman of the board.

``We've made the commitment to continue looking.''

The Family Y is looking at spending possibly $4 million to build a 35,000-square-foot center in Columbia County to provide fitness facilities such as a gym and a pool.

However, the organization first has to decide where it wants to locate and how it will pay for such a facility. And depending on where the Family Y decides to build, land costs could vary, Ms. Conway said.

``There's an awful lot to consider here,'' she said. ``We just don't want to rush into anything and do the wrong thing. And we want to make sure we find an area that is where we want to be.''

Ms. Conway said the organization also will take another look at the properties it has now.

The board of directors received a presentation last month from Buck Winfield, president of The Winfield Group, on a marketing survey done in Columbia County.

The Atlanta-based consultant got positive reactions from the random survey, Mr. Winfield said at the presentation.

And Ms. Conway said she thinks there is still a high demand for a Family Y facility in the county. The board should be closer to a decision on how to proceed in December, she said.

``I think there's a demand,'' Ms. Conway said. ``We've just got to decide if we're the ones to fill it or not.''

Peggy Ussery is a reporter in The Augusta Chronicle's Columbia County Bureau. She can be reached at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 112, or ccchron@augustachronicle.com.