New YMCA opens doors to Dillon community

By Nick Gevock - 01/13/2006

DILLON — The dream of building a new YMCA building here five years ago was just that — a distant dream.

What a difference four years can make when a community throws itself into something. Dozens of fund-raising events and most of all nearly $3 million later, the dream was realized this week as swimmers Sunday took the first dip in the pool at the new facility on Swenson Way on the west side of town.

Dillon YMCA chief executive officer Roger Pelletier said Thursday the effort goes back much longer than 2001.

“For 50 years, we’ve wanted to have a swimming pool in Dillon,” he said, beaming with pride in the front lobby of the new facility.

It opened last weekend for charter members, who were quick to make use of the sparkling new exercise equipment and pool.

Area residents were at the front desk Thursday asking about memberships, and a man was already working out on a treadmill, with help from Health and Fitness Director Todd Rouse.

The new facility is the culmination of a huge community effort over many years, Pelletier said.

When the community decided to push for a YMCA, instead of just a pool, everyone focused on raising the estimated $3 million. An anonymous donor jump-started the effort with a $1 million donation, Pelletier said.

But hundreds of Beaverhead County residents also reached into their pocketbooks in a sign of tremendous support, he said. Many people pitched in $1,000 to $2,000.

“Usually you have 10 or 15 big donations and a few smaller ones — we had 600 donors, which is unheard of,” he said. “We went on the radio and raised $100,000 in one day.” The effort also received a huge boost when Cliff and Betty Swenson donated the land to build the facility.

By March of this year, the campaign had raised $2.6 million, and the Board of Directors decided to get going before construction costs rose, Pelletier said. They broke ground in June and finished the major work last month.

Pelletier said in the end the facility cost $3.4 million, so the campaign to pay it off continues. But the community got its money’s worth.

All of the exercise equipment is state-of-the-art and new, Rouse said. He’s seen fitness centers statewide and said this one stacks up with its stationary bikes, stair climbers and treadmills.

“I don’t think there’s anyplace that had any better,” he said.

But the pool is the most anticipated part of the facility, Pelletier said. The board decided not to cut corners and install a top notch filtration system for both the main pool and the warm water therapeutic pool.

The building was also built to the highest standards so it’s ultra energy efficient and easy to maintain to keep operating costs as low as possible.

— Reporter Nick Gevock may be reached via email at nick.gevock@mtstandard.com