YMCA joint-use facility breaks ground in Lafayette

"To have childcare on the campus is instrumental in helping us retain individuals who have challenges with childcare, so that they can succeed, complete and increase their incomes and overcome poverty," Bathe said.

A new YMCA joint-use facility would offer such childcare, right next to Ivy Tech's campus. Bathe and the other partners behind the new Lafayette Family YMCA broke ground on Tuesday. Alongside other community leaders and children from the YMCA preschool program, representatives of Franciscan Health, IU Health Arnett, Ivy Tech Community College and Junior Achievement attended the ceremony.

"This project as a whole, with all of the partnerships, has the opportunity to change the economic complexity for so many individuals," Bathe said.

The joint-use facility will cost $28 million and span 116,000 square feet across the parking lot from the Ivy Tech Community College Campus on South Creasy Lane.