IN THE NEWS: NEW L.A. LEE YMCA CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON SISTRUNK BLVD

IN THE NEWS: NEW L.A. LEE YMCA CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON SISTRUNK BLVD

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL

The YMCA of South Florida and various community partners broke ground on the L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center this month.

YMCA CEO Sheryl A. Woods, CFO Mark Russell and board chairman Joaquin Urquiola recently joined Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Robert L. McKinzie, Broward College President Gregory A. Haile and over 300 other people at the event at 1409 Sistrunk Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale — the new location for the L.A. Lee YMCA and former site of the Mizell Community Center.

“This groundbreaking was an important day for the community,” Woods said. “This puts us one step closer to being able to provide a place for the entire community to gather, get healthy and connect with one another.”

The organization says its new location will allow it to serve more people and “create a place that would provide complete health and wellness programs for kids, families, adults and seniors; afterschool programs, community events and meeting space, preschool, workforce education through Broward College, as well as making retail space available to encourage economic growth and create jobs.”

According to the YMCA, the new facility will include traditional Y programs, health and wellness programs, meeting space, retail space, workforce education classes provided by Broward College, a preschool, shared work space for small businesses or start-up businesses, a black box theater and swimming pool.

“A lot of work has gone into realizing a new YMCA for the community, and YMCA staff are ecstatic about this opportunity to grow our reach in the Sistrunk community and provide more services,” Woods said. “We are building a place for the community that encourages healthy living, education and economic growth.”

Construction on the facility is scheduled to be completed in January 2021, according to the YMCA.