Round up a construction worker, cowboy, Native American, soldier, police officer and a motorcycle rider as the proposed Great Mills YMCA took yet another step toward becoming a reality.
While the Village People were not in attendance, the St. Mary’s County commissioners did hold a public hearing Tuesday in Leonardtown on Program Open Space covenants that included discussion on the planned YMCA.
The 5.11 acres of 21100 Great Mills Road where the YMCA is to be built are encumbered by Program Open Space covenants, which are meant to ensure that any property acquired or developed using the program’s funds remains as a recreational use for the public.
The YMCA is planned to be located on the portion of 21100 Great Mills Road encumbered by these covenants, and upon completion of the new facility the Great Mills pool will be operated by the YMCA.
Because the YMCA is a membership-based organization it cannot be recognized by the Department of Natural Resources as a “public” recreational amenity, as DNR forbids conversion of land acquired or developed through the Program Open Space funding from conversion to any use other than public recreation.
So, other county owned land must be swapped and put under the Program Open Space covenants.
A parcel of land containing the new St. Mary’s County Gymnastics Center (formerly the Willows Recreation Center) and an adjacent parcel, which were acquired by the county commissioners in 2023, appear to satisfy the eligibility criteria for conversion, according to county staff.
Joan and Troy Cowan of Lexington Park, who have been proponents for the YMCA since its inception and are regulars at county meetings in their matching purple shirts, each spoke at the hearing.
“It’s a grassy lot that can always be used as county recreation,” Cowan said of the gymnastics center lot. “I pray that the rest of the project goes well and quickly so that our county can start building its first YMCA. I am so happy. This is a win for our county and I’m all for it.”
“Thank you commissioners, thank you [Deputy County Attorney] John Houser, thank you [Recreation and Parks Director] Art Shepherd, thank you to the county staff that pulled together this 386-page package which is going to be supplemented by letters of support,” Troy Cowan said. “This has been a long process that we as a county have stuck it out. We are a county that wants to take care of its youth.
The third and final speaker was Eve Taylor of California.
“I’m all for it. It’s a good thing and it’s a long time we’ve been waiting because there’s too many senseless actions of violence and the crime going on with the youth. We have to have something positive for them to be involved in,” she said.
Those wishing to address the commissioners on the matter can send an email to csmc@stmaryscountymd.gov or a written notice to P.O. Box 653, Leonardtown, Md. 20650. All submissions must be received no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Public hearing information and related documents can be viewed at stmaryscountymd.gov/publichearings.
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