Several years ago, when Bristol was about to acquire the Quinta-Gamelin Center from the Army Reserve, a group of us had explored the idea that the town partner with the YMCA  to manage and run the new Recreation Center. The main reason was that the YMCA has substantial background and expertise in running recreational programs, children’s camps and major aquatic facilities. They also have trained and qualified staff to manage and operate the center.

A Town and “Y” exploration meeting was organized at my request, under the stewardship of Diane Mederos, town administrator, and the regional Y leadership. The YMCA carried out some basic research to see if a revived YMCA in Bristol could be self-sustaining. 

The threshold required was 2,000 memberships. At that time , about eight years ago, 1,000 Bristol families indicated new interest, with additional memberships possible from those residents who had joined Bayside in Barrington. Some of the programs then being financed by the town could be transferred to the Y, and that input would ease their financial burden.

Without looking further into the possibility, the YMCA did not want to jeopardize the Bayside expansion by endorsing a competing YMCA in Bristol, so that innovative idea went dormant.

Our own well-meaning Recreation Department was eager to manage the new Community Center on behalf of the town. This of course has implied more expense for the town and more staffing, as well as maintenance of the building and liability.

If Bristol now decides to take on the management of an aquatic center, in my opinion we would be in deep over our head.

At the moment, our town is struggling with greatly augmented needs to fund our schools and repair our streets and sidewalks, and we do not have the personnel to staff and operate a swimming pool.

It might well be the time to revive this partnership discussion with the YMCA leadership. This would involve transferring the responsibility to the YMCA for the management, control and operations of the community center and relieve the town administration from this financial responsibility, while offering the greatly enhanced opportunities that affiliation with a national organization like the YMCA can provide. In my view this could be a winning proposition for both the YMCA and for Bristol.

George S. Burman

66 Highland Road

Bristol