Planners OK site plan of long-sought YMCA
Rec. facility's construction expected to start in spring
BY MARLENE CANTY
Staff Writer

OLD BRIDGE - The Planning Board formally approved an application by the YMCA of Western Monmouth County to build a 30,760-square-foot facility on 12 acres of Mannino Park at its Sept. 12 meeting.

The final major site plan for the long-awaited YMCA, to be located off Route 516 on Mannino Park Drive, was approved unanimously by the nine board members present and by Mayor Jim Phillips after the group heard testimony from the Y's attorneys and three expert witnesses.

One of those witnesses, Jerry P. Laney, a civil engineer with Maser Associates, outlined the YMCA's plans for construction of the expansive, tree-lined facility, and also testified on issues related to traffic circulation, landscaping, parking, lighting and stormwater collection.

Laney said the design allows for attractive landscaping at the front of the facility, while leaving ample open air space at the rear of the building for outdoor activities by users of the YMCA.

A second expert witness, Richard Pratt, testified on the internal layout of the facility, including the Olympic-size swimming pool, weight-training room, indoor gym and fitness center, locker rooms, spa, exercise facilities and a child-care station.

Pratt told board members that the builder would attempt wherever possible to use raw or natural materials in the construction, and that the pool was designed to adhere to standards for team competitions such as the athletic events that the Old Bridge High School swim team would normally be involved in.

The third witness was Old Bridge Police Lt. Robert Weiss, who is the high school swim team coach and a member of the YMCA's board of directors. He testified about the intrinsic value of the facility to the Old Bridge community in terms of athletic activities and the long-term effects on the health and development of the township's youth.

Testifying that the Y's facility would feature the only eight-lane pool in the area, Weiss said. "The truth is, as long as there is water in the pool, we are happy.

"The Y is bringing something we don't now have, something that will be a year-round asset," he said. "I encourage you to approve the plan."

After several rounds of questions by Township Planner Sam Rizzo and Township Engineer James E. Cleary, the application was approved unanimously.

The $7 million-plus project, slated to begin construction in the spring, will also feature a summer camp and day-care program.