Residents received their first public look Monday evening at the long-anticipated YMCA Senior and Community Center planned for Reed Road — a major milestone for a project years in development and described by officials as a future “third place” for the entire Hopewell Valley.
The detailed presentation opened the Dec. 1 Hopewell Township Committee meeting and included a full architectural fly-through of the two-story facility, new information on amenities and layout, the senior wing, site history, and the ongoing community input process.
A Shared YMCA–Township Project on a Combined Site
The project is being developed as a joint YMCA and Township facility. While many details — including financing and governance — remain in discussion, presenters explained that the YMCA purchased a 15.2-acre portion of land that was a former farm. That land, combined with adjacent Township-owned acreage, forms the complete site for the building, parking, and future outdoor recreation areas.
The new aquatic center would also allow Hopewell Valley Regional School District swimmers to compete locally for the first time, replacing their long-standing arrangement of practicing and racing at The Pennington School. Several officials described the new facility as a way to finally “bring our swimmers home.”
A Two-Story Center Designed as “a Third Place”
Presenters Tom Finn, vice chairman of the YMCA Board, and Doug Pszczolkowski, the YMCA’s CEO, described a building meant to serve residents “from preschoolers to seniors.”
Finn began the walkthrough at the main YMCA entrance, designed as a flexible waiting area for families transitioning between programs. Pszczolkowski underscored the project’s broader purpose:
“The vision of all the amenities and the different pools and the gymnasium and the wellness center and the senior area is all great, but it’s really that vision of a third place and a place for our community to gather.”
Outdoor amenities — including an acre-sized pond for boating and canoeing (but not swimming), fire pits, Adirondack chairs, trails, archery, and open recreation spaces — were also discussed, though Township Committee members noted these would be future-phase elements, with planning now centered on the building itself.
Aquatics, Gym, and Multi-Purpose Spaces
A major feature of the fly-through was the natatorium on the first floor, which includes:
- A full-size cold-water pool suitable for lap swimming and competitive training
- A warm-water pool designed for therapy, aquatic aerobics, and senior exercise programs
Also on the first floor are a multi-function gymnasium, locker rooms, YMCA administrative space, and child-care rooms for families using the facility.
The second floor includes:
- A large fitness level with free weights, functional training areas, cardio machines, and minimal-equipment workout space
- An elevated running/walking track overlooking the gymnasium
- Several enclosed studios for yoga, ballet, and multipurpose instruction
- A flexible event space designed to host meetings, community programs, and celebrations
During the presentation, Finn noted that the gym and event rooms could host everything from large public meetings to a prom, and the upper-level event room could accommodate small weddings, supported by a teaching kitchen and full catering kitchen below.
Many rooms in the plan are intentionally multi-purpose, shaped by input from recreation groups, schools, seniors, and broader community stakeholders.
A Dedicated Senior Wing — the Region’s First Purpose-Built Senior Center
One major component is a true senior center, the first purpose-built facility of its kind in Hopewell Valley. The dedicated senior entrance leads to:
- A staffed check-in desk
- A lounge with seating, fireplace, and flatscreen TV
- A game room
- Flexible rooms for art, meetings, and daily programming
- Direct access to the warm-water pool and other activity spaces
The design reflects longstanding requests from Hopewell Valley Senior Services and seniors who have relied on borrowed spaces across the Valley for decades.
Site History and Roadway Improvements
Finn also described the property’s agricultural past: historically as a farm and more recently as a hops farm.
Outside the building footprint, the project intersects with planned roadway changes along Reed Road, including the “Sourland Way” extension associated with nearby development and future intersection realignments with Mercer County — all of which would affect traffic flow once the facility opens.
What Comes Next: Design, Funding, and Long-Term Sustainability
With the initial design now public, the next steps include continued refinement of building plans, cost modeling, traffic review, and deeper coordination between the YMCA and Township on financing. Officials emphasized that details of capital funding are still being worked out and no decisions have been made although there are multiple sources of funding involved.
Once the center is operational, however, presenters said the facility is expected to be financially self-sustaining through membership fees and program revenue, similar to other YMCA-operated community centers. Because Hopewell Valley residents would be able to join and use the building as their local gym and program hub, officials noted that membership revenue is anticipated to cover operating costs after opening.
A tentative timeline envisions two to three years before the building could open, pending continued design work, permitting, fundraising, and construction.
