WOODFIN ó The Town of Woodfin will get its first YMCA facility in 2008, as a plan announced Aug. 10 calls for a center to built in the townís new downtown shopping district.

The Asheville-based YMCA of Western North Carolina said that the facility will be at least 15,000 square feet and will be built near Newbridge Shopping Center and leased from Reynolds Mountain Development.
The new center will incorporate workout areas, group exercise rooms, locker rooms and day-care facilities, officials said. It may be replaced in about 10 years by a larger facility on property west of U.S. 19/23/25/70.

The Woodfin YMCA is planned for an area that is part of a mixed-use development comprising 250 acres along Weaverville Highway. Newbridge Shopping Center and the townís former golf course are part of the property that is to be developed to build a new downtown.

YMCA officials said they hope to serve the North Buncombe area, including Weaverville and North Asheville.

Reynolds Mountain plans to donate more than $2.5 million to the project in the form of property and reduced lease payments over the next five years. New residents of the development will get automatic memberships and the company plans to establish a fund that would assist low-income residents to get memberships.

The company plans to build 410,000 square feet of retail and commercial space and about 600 housing units, as well as donate an 80-acre park to the town.

The larger YMCA facility is planned for property adjoining the park.

Construction of the first phase of the development has already begun, and it will likely take eight years to complete, officials said. The development is expected to dramatically increase the number of residents living in Woodfin.