City Breaks Ground On New Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa leaders on Tuesday officially broke ground on a new Benjamin Barnes YMCA facility in the north parking lot of the McDonald Hughes Center.

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Funded by Elevate Tuscaloosa, the new facility aims to enhance resources for families in west Tuscaloosa and the greater community by offering athletics, year-round child care and education programming.

What's more, city officials say the new Benjamin Barnes YMCA will offer complimentary amenities, programs and services to nearby facilities.

“Today is not about an ending, today is a beginning, there is more to come,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said. “With this project and future Elevate initiatives, the City will continue to invest in our young people with every opportunity.”

District 2 Councilor Raeven Howard also praised the effort and what it will mean for her district.

“Our future looks very bright and it’s going to continue to get brighter,” Howard said. “The Benjamin Barnes YMCA has been a staple in my community since around 1962, and today as we get ready to break ground, this is a very exciting moment not just for the Benjamin Barnes YMCA, but for all of our youth in the community."

The City of Tuscaloosa says construction on the new facility is expected to be completed in 2024.

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