The decorations aren’t for this year.
They’re leftover from a time before COVID, the last time the YMCA of the North operated the fitness center–before it closed for the state-mandated shutdown in March 2020. The organization decided not to re-open its Lino Lakes fitness center after the pandemic shutdowns were lifted because of budget, leaving customers scrambling to find a fitness center to use and the city with an unfulfilled promise to operate the building, which the city helped finance on land it owns.
Fast forward to March 2021, and the city now has total control of the building, and thanks to $15,000, some of the leftover workout equipment inside, along with two empty swimming pools, now-quiet workout studios, and a basketball court that hasn’t seen action since before the last March Madness was cancelled.
As to what the city will do with its new amenity, Community Development Director Michael Grochala said the work continues to find the best options available.
“We want to go into this situation with our eyes open,” said Grochala. “It’s a wonderful asset to have within the community, (and) we have a big investment in it.”
The city is still paying off the building, which opened in 2005. The agreement with the YMCA is that it would operate a fitness center there and the city would own the property.
“We want to be objective moving forward on what those costs might be, and how do we do this and use the taxpayers’ dollars to the best advantage for the community,” said Grochala.
Lino Lakes City Council will hear from a consultant it hired a few months ago to study to feasibility of different options, including whether to hire a company to run a fitness center there or to have the city do it all. That report will come in a special work session on March 18.
Grochala said he hopes city staff can then formulate its report and recommendations to council by the end of March or early April.
