I support construction of a new Lewiston-Auburn YMCA because the one that is standing right now is very small.

Day care, basketball, swimming and a workout facility are some of the uses, and there is just not enough room. The basketball court is very short, with relatively bad hoops. When you watch a basketball game, there is limited seating.

The pool is only 20 yards long, and a standard racing pool is 25 yards long. The swim team isn’t able to practice the lengths that they would need to master in meets. This puts these swimmers at a disadvantage, which hurts their ability to be successful. There are also not enough lanes, sometimes with eight people in one lane.

The workout facilities are fairly up to date, but they are small. If a new YMCA were built, a larger gym would accommodate more people, bringing in more money, and that money could buy new equipment.

Many families rely on the YMCA day care. I have visited the area where the kids stay, and it could use some updating. With lots of children in the YMCA, more room is needed. Building a bigger YMCA would let the day care expand.

A new YMCA would be a great thing for the community. More children could be taken care of; a bigger gym could accommodate more people; a longer pool could put the swimmers at the same level as others in Maine; and a larger basketball gym would allow people to watch games and play them safely.

Olivia Jensen, Auburn