Vicksburg YMCA to become sports complex

VICKSBURG – (AP) A church group has purchased the old YMCA on Halls Ferry Road and plans to convert it into a youth sports complex.

Greater Grove Street Missionary Baptist Church bought the 13,000-square-foot main building and its surrounding 6.7 acres earlier this month for $150,000, the Rev. Casey Fisher told The Vicksburg Post.

Fisher says the complex – which will be called the Education, Exercise and Empowerment Center – is planned as a multipurpose, sports-and-leisure venue and will be open for public use.

He said the gymnasium will be renovated and there will be facilities available for tutoring schoolchildren.

“It’ll take time and more money but I’m hoping it will be a positive for the community,” Fisher said. “We’ll eventually have basketball, volleyball, other youth sporting events to try to bring it back to life.”

For now, the pool at the former Y will be covered until a paid staff is organized, Fisher said. About 75 yards of grass beside the complex has potential for short-field soccer or touch football, he said.

“The building’s been neglected, but the front room has conference space. And we’ll put the ceiling back in,” Fisher said. “In about five years, it’ll look totally different – once the money comes in.”