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Muncie Mayor: YMCA Move To Tuhey Park Is Not Happening

By Stephanie Wiechmann, IPR News | Published on in Community, Government, Local News
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The "Friends of Tuhey" group demonstrated in the City Hall parking lot before a December 2020 public meeting. (Photo: Friends of Tuhey on Facebook)

Muncie’s mayor has acknowledged that a proposal to move the Muncie YMCA to Tuhey Park will not be going forward.

After the plan was included in the introduction to the city’s draft five-year parks plan, Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour was asked about it by several people at a meeting last week.

He read from an email sent from the YMCA to a city council member.  It said: “Tuhey Park is included in the site analysis primarily to compare and contrast with other options.  Again, we have not been in any active discussions regarding the project for some time.”

Many in Muncie who opposed the project, including neighborhood associations, said Muncie residents shouldn’t have to pay to use private facilities on public land already supported by tax dollars.

Read More: Muncie Largely Opposes YMCA Tuhey Park Plan At Community Meeting

On the city’s Facebook page Monday, Ridenour’s administration said the city and the YMCA agreed “several weeks ago” that the Tuhey Park move would not happen.  Ridenour says the YMCA is evaluating other sites for the new location it wants to build.

The Parks and Recreation Board still want feedback on the rest of the draft parks plan.  It will hold two meetings at City Hall – one on April 1 and one on April 13.  Both begin at 6:00 PM.

Read The Draft Plan Here