Community support asked for final $1M to re-purpose Wis. Rapids mall

The South Wood County YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area are now one step closer to 'building futures together.' Friday, they announced they public phase of their capital campaign, to raise money for a new facility at the old Wisconsin Rapids mall.

The plan for the mall, which officially closed its doors late last year, is to re-purpose it for this joint YMCA and Boys & Girls Club facility. There will also be a VA to provide services for veterans.

In the past seven months, the two groups, focusing on building futures together, has raised almost all of they money they needed to make this dream a reality. Now, they're asking for the public's help.

"So we've raised just over $21.5 million of an overall project of $27.5 million. This last portion will be a million dollars for the community phase," said Kent Anderson, Executive Director with the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area.

Since Dec. 2017, the two groups have been working toward raising enough money for the construction of the facility.

"We're hoping to break ground in mid-August and it'll be about a 14-month build. We're hoping for a grand opening in January of 2020," said Anderson.

"It really places both of our organizations in the heart of our communities so that all the surrounding municipalities have equal access to this," said Bret Salscheider, CEO of the South Wood County YMCA.

Located at the now-abandoned Wisconsin Rapids mall, the new site will have both groups to give the community a new, accessible facility for people of all ages and backgrounds.

"It's an opportunity for our organization, as well as the YMCA, to take a blighted area of town and revitalize our downtown area to build this new facility," said Anderson.

"All-inclusive and accessible opportunity for kids to experience activities that the Y provides, as well as those Y kids being able to access great programs at the Boys and Girls Club," said Salscheider.

The building qualifies for a new market tax credit, and with a goal to break ground this August, the community is now asked to help raise the last million dollars.

If you would like to become a patron of the new facility, you can

to learn more and donate.