Meeting Set on New ‘Y’ Facility in Pasadena

The Pasadena Board of Directors instructed the city attorney and city manager Tuesday to meet with YMCA and YWCA officials to discuss how the city can help them obtain a site for new facilities.

In a petition to the directors, the groups asked the city to consider leasing city land, “preferably in Central Park.” But city officials said Pasadena’s charter restricts the use of parkland to recreation. The charter says parkland “shall not be sold, transferred or used for other purposes, except upon the approval of a majority of the voters at an election.”

Director John Crowley said the legal obstacles might be overcome if the YMCA and YWCA built recreational facilities at a park and ran their social services programs elsewhere, or if they found a suitable site on surplus city property that is not dedicated to parks. Director Rick Cole expressed reservations about providing parkland to agencies that charge membership fees and said, “Any project like this should really to go a vote of the people.”

City Atty. Victor Kaleta and City Manager Donald F. McIntyre said they will meet with YMCA and YWCA officials to discuss what sort of assistance the city can provide. An earlier plan by the YMCA and YWCA to build a joint facility in downtown Pasadena failed when the groups were unable to obtain financing.