Memberships that will allow residents to use the new community centers under construction in Platte County will go on sale soon.
County residents who wish to join will receive a ten percent discounted membership, as well as having their $100 joining fee waived. The membership will be valid at both the north center and the south center and will include programs such as aerobics, yoga, palates and more.
According to Mark Hulet, vice-president of membership services for the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, charter membership sales for both facilities will begin Aug. 28 at the community center sites from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Individuals who sign up during this time will receive unique benefits such as: t-shirts, special invitations to events, invitations to the grand opening, and will get their rates locked in through 2005.
Hulett said officials are not yet ready to announce just how much the membership fee will be.
In approximately two months, some residents of Platte County will get what they have been asking for the past two years: a place that provides a family atmosphere in the cornerstone of their community.
The first of the two county community centers, the Platte County northern location at 3101 Running Horse Road in Platte City, is expected to open its doors at the end of October.
According to Platte County Parks and Recreation Director Brian Nowotny, the timeline for the northern location is on schedule for the 29,000 square foot center.
Crews are currently working on the center’s roof, windows and outdoor spray ground. Along with providing aquatic fun inside the center, the fun will extend outside in the seasonal months. The outdoor spray ground will include a water cannon, a small water slide and a water jet rainbow.
Other features of the Northland community center include: a wellness center, indoor gymnasium, indoor family aquatics center, indoor walking track, indoor and outdoor playground equipment, locker rooms and a lounge.
According to Nowotny, cost for construction of the northern facility is $7.5 million, with a five percent contingency fund for each facility included in case any major developments arise during the construction.
Construction of both facilities is being managed by J.E. Dunn Construction of Kansas City. Dunn is in charge of managing over 50 contractors in the construction of the centers. Both facilities are being built with funds from Platte County’s half cent sales tax for parks and recreation.
The southern center, located at 8875 Clark Ave., Parkville, is the larger of the two facilities due to the higher density of population in the southern portion of Platte County.
“Greater population in the south necessitated the center being a larger facility because it will serve a larger population,” said Nowotny.
The 53,000 square foot facility, will include the same features as the northern center along with the addition of a generational center that will provide programs for senior citizens and teens, two dedicated aerobics studios, an elevated running track, and a party room off the aquatic center.
Construction on the southern center is currently on schedule, with the carpenters working on the interior and exterior walls, pouring of the concrete slab floors, installing the brick on the walls, and the parking area will soon be laid.
The southern center is expected to be ready for opening at the beginning of January 2005. Nowotny stated that the county is currently in the bidding process for equipment in both facilities. Nowotny said the first round of bids came in below the estimates and they were very pleased with those results.
Both community centers will be managed by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, who will be in charge of staff and operating the two facilities.
“The Y has been involved with this since the many months before the groundbreaking. They’re two of the prettiest sites in the Midwest,” said Hulet. “Now it’s time for us to step up and do what we do best and that’s operate the facilities.”
Hulet said he anticipates staffing approximately 75 employees at the northern site, with approximately an additional 120 employees at the southern location.
“We’re happy we’re going to be opening this year. We’ve all been working on this the past two years to get these doors open,” stated Nowotny. “These two projects were the cornerstones of our parks master plan and now are fruitions of that master plan.”

