March 12. By Dave Yochum. The Lake Norman YMCA has begun work on a $2 million renovation project which will involve three phases and take place over the next 10 months.

“We are excited to make these improvements to our branch that are truly responsive to the needs of our members and our community,” said Matt Fitzwater, executive director of the Y. “These updates will set us up for future success by maximizing the space we have, growing areas where we see the greatest need, and looking at how the branch will be able to best serve the community moving forward.

The local YMCA was built in 1975, and serves approximately 8,000 people a year. It has served as a center for community gatherings, a place for area residents to focus on their health and wellness goals, and a setting where children can learn how to swim, play sports and become part of a team.

There are three construction phases:

Phase 1: Relocated and expanded fitness & functional training area, with functional training area now connected to outdoor fitness area via rolling garage doors; space reallocation that allows for expansion of the youth development area, creating a dedicated youth development wing. This phase began in February, and is slated for completion in May 2020.

Phase 2: Construction of new barre studio and cycle studio featuring new equipment. This phase will begin in May, and is slated for completion this fall.

Phase 3: Construction of administrative office space and conference room. This will be complete this fall.

The branch, which is located at 21300 Davidson St., is known for its award-winning adaptive water ski program as well as the Lake Norman Stars gymnastics team, which brought home national-level awards from the AAU National Gymnastics Championship last year.