ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — On Wednesday, the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg highlighted the new Speer YMCA and its unique partnership with Pinellas County Schools.
The new location is off 62nd Avenue Northeast in St. Pete.
"There's been a gap of services that we found in this part of St. Petersburg, and that was our key rationale for moving forward with the project because we want to make sure that we're accessible to all families in our community," said David Jezek, the President and CEO for the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg.
Staff cut the ribbon on the new facility Wednesday morning. But what's unique about this project is that the new YMCA shares space with Pinellas County Schools' new middle school, Mangrove Bay Middle, which will be a health and wellness leadership magnet.
"It is important to get them engaged at a young age to help their physical development and their social, emotional, and mental development as well," said principal Brett Patterson. "At the end of the day, we want them to be well-prepared academically as well as physically and just as a whole student."
School leaders pointed out YMCA facilities shared with the school include the gym, pool, culinary center, and dining hall. The district said students will go to school during the day and have access to the Y before and after school care.
The new YMCA's soft opening is Monday, December 18, while Mangrove Bay Middle opens next August.
