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78 SUMMER 2016 K KEENELAND.COM YMCA OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY making a difference neighborhoods shape their Ys. "Each one is a refection of the surrounding area," she said. "At North, for example, you have a growing, diverse population and the staff and volunteers there work to have an environment of inclusion." $36.7 million in capital projects The $20 million cost of the Hamburg Y is about half of what is being invested in building the YMCA of Central Ken - tucky system, which also includes Y operations in Jessamine and Scott counties and management of facilities in Frankfort. "We're about halfway through $36.7 million in capital proj - ects," said Martorano. In early January, $3 million in renovations and expansions were unveiled at the North Lexington YMCA, including a strik - ing glass-fronted wellness center, a new exercise room, ren- ovated lobby, and improved locker rooms. Renovations and improvements are also under way at the Beaumont YMCA. And the often-renovated High Street Y is now on the draw - ing board. Discussions with architects have begun on what Martorano describes as "a new Y at the existing High Street location." Hamburg represents a new era In the meantime, the Hamburg branch is a Y of the new era. Although it is about the same size as the Beaumont lo - cation, the Y's busiest branch, because of its open design Hamburg will feel larger. A bow-shaped wall of glass will front the building, bringing light into the lobby and into the wellness center above it, where members running on tread - mills can watch activity along Sir Barton Way as they exer- cise. "It won't be like exercising in a box," said Martorano. Interior spaces open to one another, making it easy to stand The Hamburg Y will have several features that are new to the YMCA of Central Kentucky. A SPRAY GROUND PLAYGROUND Instead of an outdoor pool, the Y will have a spray ground, where geysers, fountains, and other water features shoot up from the earth, creating a wet and cool playground for children. The fenced- in spray ground will have lounge chairs around its perimeter so parents can relax and watch their children. A spray ground has several advantages over a pool — for one, it can be used an average 120 days a year versus about 90 for an outdoor pool in this region. It also doesn't require as much prep time and maintenance as a pool does. "If the temperatures were warm enough on a March day, for example, we could turn it on," said David Martorano, presi- dent and CEO of the YMCA of Central Kentucky. The spray ground stretches along the back of the Y, adjacent to the 4.4-acre tract that the Y bought in December for sports and camps programming and to buffer it from the Tuscany neighborhood. HEALTHY EATS AND DRINKS In a corner of the big, airy lobby, The Press Juice and Health Bar, a local business, will offer cold-pressed juices, smoothies, salads, gluten-free baked goods and soft-serve yogurts, elixir waters, and coffee. The addition means no snack machines, which are the only food option at existing Ys. Tables, chairs, and other seating, coupled with the food, will enhance the lobby, which is always the gather- ing place at YMCAs, Martorano said. "The Y is a big gathering place and a lot of that social interaction happens in the lobby." The healthy foods bar and the spray ground are ideas that might be instituted at other Ys in the system, Martorano said. ONE GIANT POOL; THREE PERSONALITIES Not building an outdoor pool has allowed the Hamburg Y to have a more elaborate and versatile indoor pool. The design is interesting — one body of water, divvied into three sections. On one side, there is a traditional, rectangular lap pool. A narrow viaduct links the lap pool to the play pool and its slides, waterfalls, geysers, and other features. The viaduct is spanned by a bridge, a replica of one at the Hamburg Place Thoroughbred cemetery. A small, square pool area for swim lessons and other aquatics classes is linked to one corner of the play pool. "So, fve to six things can be happening at the pool, all at one time," said Martorano. The pool complex will also have a large whirlpool and sauna and steam rooms. LOCKER ROOMS DESIGNED FOR FAMILIES Because families with children are, as Martorano says, "the Y's sweet spot," the new Y incorporates a design for family locker rooms that affords more privacy. Eight changing rooms and six family shower rooms fank a central hallway. Each of the shower rooms ba- sically looks like a bathroom at home with a shower, a sink, a toilet, hooks for towels, benches, and a door. It's another way for the Y to ensure a safe, family-friendly environment, Martorano said. A ribbon cutting marked the completed expansion of the North Lexington YMCA, which has enabled more room for exercise equipment and additional activities. COURTESY OF YMCA