Senate Approves Home Rule Legislation for YMCA/City of Watertown

ALBANY (March 18, 2009)—State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine announced today that the Senate has passed home rule legislation which authorizes the City of Watertown to lease the land beneath the former Ultimate Goal at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds to the Watertown Family YMCA.

“I’m extremely pleased that my colleagues today recognized the importance of this legislation for the city of Watertown and the Family YMCA,” Sen. Aubertine said. “Soon the YMCA will be able to purchase the building, negotiate a new lease with the City and make improvements to the facility. This benefits the community, the City and the YMCA moving forward for many years to come.”

In 1998, the City of Watertown leased five acres of the 62-acre fairgrounds off Coffeen Street to create an indoor sports complex which the Family YMCA took over in May 2006. The YMCA intends to make significant capital improvements which will allow it to continue providing the City and its residents with first class recreational activities. The proceeds from the lease will be used by the City exclusively for the purchase of additional parkland or capital improvements to existing recreational facilities in the City.

The Senate voted unanimously for the bill.