Barkley Village developer, YMCA reach deal for Bellingham recreation center
Officials at the Talbot Group, the key player in developing Barkley Village, have committed to giving the Whatcom Family YMCA a 6-acre site to develop a community recreation center, according to a joint announcement Tuesday.
The location at the southeast corner of Sunset Drive and Woburn Street would allow the YMCA to move from its downtown facility that is more than 100 years old. The aging building has been a stumbling block to the Y’s expansion and modernization plans for more than a decade.
No immediate plans were announced. Tuesday’s statement said the project was in its early stages, “but the partnership and land commitment mark an important step forward for a future community asset” that could offer recreation, aquatics and education and gathering spaces for Whatcom County residents young and old.
“This announcement carries special meaning because it reflects the vision our father, Jim, used to talk about when we were kids,” co-owner Jane Talbot said in a statement. “Even back then, he imagined Barkley Village as a walkable, sustainable, community-centered neighborhood designed around connection and quality of life.”
Whatcom Family YMCA CEO Courtney Walker called the deal an “extraordinary gift” to the community.
“As our population grows and shifts, the YMCA is committed to growing with it, ensuring that every family has access to welcoming spaces, life-changing programs, and opportunities to connect,” Walker said.
Talbot Group co-owner and President Stowe Talbot said the proposed new YMCA facility could be “a regional hub” for recreation.
“We are grateful to be in a position to offer the YMCA a highly visible and accessible site that could support its mission for generations to come,” Stowe Talbot said.
The Y’s current site at 1256 N. State St. is a four-story building that was built in 1908 and housed the Hotel Henry before the YMCA moved into it in 1942. It has limited parking for patrons, and it was not built to current standards that require accessibility for people with disabilities.
Like many businesses, the COVID-19 closure dealt the Y a heavy blow, costing it 75% of its membership. A possible city-YMCA partnership as part of expanded development at the Civic Athletic Complex was announced in 2018 and reaffirmed in 2022, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting.
No YMCA partnership was mentioned earlier this year when the city laid out detailed plans for the expanding the site along Lakeway Drive between Lincoln and Orleans streets.
Tuesday’s announcement said the YMCA will begin planning and fundraising for the project.
“The Whatcom Family YMCA has accepted the opportunity and is committed to leading the planning, community engagement, and fundraising necessary to determine the project’s scope and bring this vision to life. While the partnership and land commitment mark an important step forward, the project itself is still in a very early planning stage. The YMCA will continue evaluating facility needs, design, funding, timeline, and community priorities as the work moves forward,” the statement said.
