Kokomo city and business leaders broke ground today on a new $16 million YMCA.
The 73,000 square-foot facility is scheduled to be complete in early 2016 and will replace the YMCA's current facility, which was built in 1910.
"The intrinsic value of a YMCA rests in its capacity to endow the young people, who come to play sports and take swim lessons, with the seeds of leadership, self-confidence, strong community values and a healthier lifestyle," Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight said in a statement.
The new building will include a three-lane walking track overlooking downtown Kokomo, an aquatic center featuring an eight-lane lap pool and warm-water instructional pool, two gymnasiums, fully- accessible family locker rooms, a state-of-the-art health and wellness center, community gathering spaces, a teen center, a chapel and an indoor jungle gym for children.