Approximately one year ago. The Marblehead-Swampscott YMCA announced that it had purchased 19.5 acres of land off of Leggs Hill Road with the intent of building a new, $10 million YMCA more than three times the size of the present facility on Pleasant Street.

Acquiring this property ended an over 20-year search for suitable land for an estimated 75,000 square-foot building to replace the North Shore's smallest YMCA, which opened in 1910.

Paul Gorman, the Marblehead-Swampscott YMCA's executive director, recently gave this update on the much-anticipated project.

Q: Last November, the Y announced that it had already raised approximately $4 million. How's the capital campaign going and will you have enough money?

Gorman: Our Capital Campaign is right on track. We've raised just over $6 million, or 75 percent of our fundraising goal, which is an important milestone, and we expect to hit the $7 million mark by year-end. There are some major donors who have expressed interested but have not yet committed, so we need their support.

Our Capital Campaign co-chairs, Bill and Carol Adams, Peter and Carolyn Lynch, and Eyk and Rose-Marie van Otterloo have done an outstanding job. Our Community Chairmen, Ed Dolan in Swampscott and Paul Guertin in Marblehead, have effectively rallied support from each town. People have readily realized that a contribution to the new Y is a long-term investment in the community and its well-being, which is very compelling. We've been very impressed with, and grateful for, the communities' generosity.

Q: What's been happening within the two towns to raise money?

Gorman: Last winter, we kicked off the second phase of the Capital Campaign with community fund-raising efforts in each town at Tedesco Country Club and Marian Court, both of which were very successful. Since then, each of our Community Chairmen has been busy assisting in the staging of numerous house parties where we've shared the facility plans and building designs with small groups of residents. These events alone have generated over $300,000 in pledges so far, and this focused outreach is ongoing.

Q: If the Capital Campaign falls short, where will you find the funds to complete the project?

Gorman: We're very confident we'll reach our goal. Fortunately, we live in communities where there are numerous examples of civic-minded residents who, driven by a blend of wisdom, resources, vision and magnanimity, have fulfilled critical needs and enriched the lives of present and future citizens. In each case, benefactors seized opportunities, such as the new Y, that favorably impact our towns for a lifetime and more.

Q: When do you anticipate breaking ground and how long will construction take?

Gorman: The building's design was just recently approved by the Y's board of directors, which will then allow us to present the rendering and a model to Salem's planning board, since the building will be constructed on a potion of the land that lies within the city of Salem. The permitting process typically takes anywhere from six to 12 months, so we're expecting to break ground in the late fall 2005, and given the facility's size, we expect it will take approximately 14-15 months to complete it.

Gorman: Inside, we're planning to have an indoor, eight-lane, 25-yard pool, a warm-water training pool and an outdoor pool; a full-size gymnasium; a state-of-the-art gymnastics center, a complete fitness center that includes a walking/jogging track; an education center composed of distinct areas for an early childhood education, school-age children and a teen center; three squash courts; separate locker rooms for men, boys, women, girls and families; community rooms; outdoor playing fields; and indoor playground with babysitting; and a café and viewing areas.

The two level building will be sunken into the top of the hill at Leggs Hill Toad so that it will be barely visible to the abutting neighbors. A 200-car parking lot will ensure that we can accommodate the expected doubling of the membership, plus we'll have land for expansion, if necessary.

There's more, but the simple answer is that the new building will serve all age groups and interests with the most contemporary facilities and equipment.

Q: What will happen to the Pleasant Street building and the present gymnastics center at the former Warwick Theater?

Once the new facility is up and running, we plan to sell the Pleasant Street building, which will contribute to the funding of this project. We'll also terminate our lease for the gymnastics center, and we'll no longer rent pool time at Salem State College, all of which will significantly reduce our costs.

Q: How have the Leggs Hill Road neighbors reacted to your plans?

People are always concerned when there is development in their neighborhoods, but the reaction to date has been supportive. Many residents realize that accessibility to the Y is a benefit, and transforming the land to community asset is a wise and productive use of the property.

We will begin to share the design, construction and traffic control plans with the Marblehead and South Salem neighbors this winter. The YMCA has always been a good neighbor, and to that end, we have planned with sensitivity to our abutters, but we will always carefully consider any concerns.

Q: Are there any environmental concerns with the land?

Gorman: None. We know the land's history, it's been inspected, and we've thoroughly tested it.

Q: Given the new Y's estimated size and the corresponding program expansion, will membership rates increase? Will current Y members be assessed an additional fee to fund the construction of the new YMCA?

Gorman: Over the past five years, membership fees have increased 2-3 percent each year, and we expect that fees will rise at approximately the same rate going forward. Since we're tripling the size of our facility, it's also expected that the number of program offerings will expand dramatically, so members will get much more for their money. However, membership fees are used exclusively for the Y's operating costs, not for fund-raising purposes. We believe philanthropy is voluntary, and no fees will be assessed to fund the construction.

Q: When we will see a "Home of the New Y" sign at Leggs Hill or a fund-raising "thermometer" posted at the current YMCA?

Gorman: That's the last lap of the campaign. We are very confident that our Capital and Community Campaigns will exceed their goals, and our communities will finally have a complete and mutually convenient facility that will serve generations of families.

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