More than five years ago, the Hazleton YMCA closed, unable to stay afloat financially.
Like many Hazletonians with fond childhood memories of splashing in the Y’s pools and other fun there, Leann Fallabel desperately wanted it open again.
“I grew up here. I'm from Hazleton. I came here. I learned how to swim here. My child learned how to swim here,” said Fallabel, a member of its advisory board. “We never, ever thought for one minute that it wasn't going to reopen.”
She and others who kept the faith were right.
The YMCA will soon reopen as the Mericle Family Center YMCA, an early childhood education center that will accept children as young as six months up to 5 years old.
She and other officials cut a ceremonial ribbon Friday on the new center at 75 S. Church St. It’s the same building as the closed YMCA, but and modernized at a cost of more than $10 million.
The Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA, which has YMCAs in Wilkes-Barre and Pittston, will oversee the Hazleton operation, too.
Megan Kennedy, the chairwoman of the YMCA’s Hazleton Advisory Council and a Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA board member, profusely thanked developer Rob Mericle and his wife, Kim, for contributing more than $5 million toward buying back and restoring the building.
“Here we are today, and I can tell you without hesitation that this day would not have been possible without the dedication and generosity of Rob Mericle and his family,” Kennedy said. “Rob not only shepherded this project from its onset, he also gave his vision, his time, his planning expertise, his architectural design experience, construction management. And with all of that, there is no way we could ever put a price tag on that.”
Mericle did not attend the ceremony, but Kim Mericle cut the ceremonial ribbon with oversized scissors.
The renovated Y will roll out in three phases.
Phase one is the 75-child Pasco L. Schiavo Early Learning Center, which will begin enrolling children in early February and open in March. The center is awaiting a state license. Schiavo was a well-known community activist and philanthropist in Hazleton.
The Pasco Schiavo Fund of the Luzerne Foundation contributed $500,000 toward the center, Kennedy said.
Phase two will include classrooms for before- and after-school care and a renovated gymnasium. Renovations are expected to begin in April.
The agency is still seeking more money for phase three – further renovations on the first floor, including two locker rooms, two existing pools and a wellness center.
Fallabel said she expects phase two and three should be done by the end of the year.
The public is invited to an open house Feb. 1 from noon to 2 p.m.
The state Department of Community and Economic Development contributed $2.275 million in grants from its Neighborhood Assistance Program. The project also benefitted from $678,000 in Local Share Account grants from casino gambling taxes.
