Public Meetings on Proposed West Norriton YMCA Resume Next Week

The new YMCA facility proposed for the Markley Farms tract in West Norriton is once again up for public discussion in two meetings – on Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Tuesday, Feb. 14. Both meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the .

As previously reported and in The Times Herald, the planned multimillion dollar facility is highly anticipated by some in the area, but bitterly opposed by some West Norriton residents – especially those close to the Markley Farms tract.

"We don't want our property encroached on," said one West Norriton resident at a previous public forum about the proposed facility. "We don't want it open for public access. I don't want to have to worry about someone walking across my property to get to Wagon Mill Road because they're walking to the YMCA."

Many neighboring residents have expressed similar concerns, though some who have spoken up at the forums have had a more pragmatic approach to the issue.

"If I were to live in the area and had an open space, I would want it to remain an open space; however, that's not going to be," said an attendee at a previous meeting. "I would much prefer a YMCA to Section 8 housing, or a halfway house, or anything like that."

The Feb. 7 and Feb. 14 meetings are open to the public, but only West Norriton residents will be allowed to speak.