After nearly two months of delays by the weather, the Southern Platte County Community Center in Parkville will be opening its doors to the public on Saturday, Feb. 19.
The new 53,000 square foot facility, located at 8875 Clark Ave. in Parkville, was originally scheduled to open in January of 2005.

However, with nearly 60 days of bad weather delaying construction of the project, the site is now only nine days away from its official opening.

According to Platte County Parks and Recreation Director Brian Nowotny the center is receiving some finishing touches.

“The center is coming along very well and is rolling toward completion and the grand opening on Feb. 19,” said Nowotny. “It’s a real hot bed of activity right now.”

Contractors are currently involved with the installation of carpet, the gym floor, interior windows and doors, and finishing the painting.

During a tour of the facility two weeks prior to the grand opening, Nowotny described the southern facility as a “very open and big design."

“The idea of the facility is as soon as you walk in, you’re hit with what the facility has to offer,” stated Nowotny.

The facility will feature a wellness center; a full-size indoor gymnasium; a 1/8 mile suspended walking track; an indoor aquatics center featuring three lap lanes, a lazy river, a vortex, a whirlpool, a dry sauna, and a steam room; a kids adventure center; a child watch area; indoor and outdoor playground areas; a generation center (will serve as a meeting area for the community and a program center for the YMCA); a library (cool down area); Studio A (an Active Studio for high impact fitness programs such as: aerobics, and martial arts;) Studio B (a Soft Studio for quiet programs such as a spinning program, yoga, and palates); party room; locker rooms; lounges; and a vending area.

The $12.8 million center, along with the $7.5 million northern facility in Platte City, is being funded by the parks and recreation half cent sales tax. Both centers are operated by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City.

The 29,000 square foot, northern facility located at 3101 Running Horse Road in Platte City, opened in October.

The southern community center will be open from 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12 p.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays.

Center Executive Donna Linville will oversee the daily functions of the Parkville Community Center.

Membership numbers for the Parkville Center, according to Nowotny’s last report, were 200 memberships.

People who are still interested in joining the YMCA can still become members, with memberships good at both centers.

Membership fees for Platte County citizens are: family $68.40, individual $45.90, senior family $60.30, senior individual $39.60, and teen $20.70.

County and YMCA officials, project partners, as well as center members will gather at the new facility at 10 a.m., Feb. 19 for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.