City and YMCA continue to collaborate for community's best interest

The City of Mission Viejo has no plans to tear down the YMCA and sell the property which the City leases to the organization, City Manager Dennis Wilberg said during the City Council's meeting on Tuesday.

The City Manager's statement comes on the heels of misinformation circulating on social media relating to the Oso Creek Golf Course and Public Space Vision Plan. 

In a July 27 public workshop and during the September 13 Planning and Transportation Commission meeting, a consultant working on the Vision Plan presented "a list of additional ideas and opportunities that the City may consider in the long-term," and two draft concepts were noted in the event the YMCA decides to move to a different facility. The YMCA's lease with the City, which is $1 per year, runs through 2037.  

The notion of the YMCA potentially relocating has been broached by the YMCA, which reiterated its desire to expand its footprint in the community to the City in discussions as well as a letter dated on September 15, which stated: 

"We are 100 percent committed to the community of Mission Viejo, and we have expressed a desire to enlarge our footprint and impact in Mission Viejo. That might involve expanding current facilities or potentially relocating to another location within the City of Mission Viejo." 

In the YMCA's current space, there is little room to expand. On Tuesday, the Executive Director of the YMCA thanked the City and echoed the City Manager's sentiment that the City and YMCA continue to work collaboratively for the betterment of our community as expressed in the following statement by the organization: 

"The City of Mission Viejo and the YMCA of Orange County are committed to each other and the residents of the community. Both organizations are dedicated to providing the best services, resources and programs. We are looking forward to expanding our efforts and growing our collective impact together." 

At the City Council's meeting on November 9, a full presentation will be provided on the Oso Creek Golf Course and Public Space Vision Plan and what could be accomplished in the next 4 to 6 years. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting or tune in for the latest news and information. Community members are also urged to sign up for the City's eNewsletter and follow the City's official social media sites for the latest accurate news and information.