The Bellevue YMCA will take over the Kirkland Teen Union Building and programs following a unanimous vote Tuesday, May 4 by the Kirkland City Council.

“What an exciting opportunity. We are really lucky to have the YMCA as a partner,” said Kirkland City Council member Penny Sweet.

The council requested that the agreement to be written as a long term contract and that the YMCA present yearly updates to the council.

“Our intention is for this to be a long term agreement,” said Kirkland City Manager Marilynne Beard, who added that the YMCA would essentially keep things as they are, including counseling programs through Youth Eastside Services (YES).

The contract that is to be negotiated will probably look like the previous agreement with the Friends of Youth. Under that agreement the YMCA would be given a 10-year contract to operate the 5,000 square foot facility that has provided educational and emotional outreach to disadvantaged youth in Kirkland since 2001. Friends of Youth decided it could not maintain KTUB late last year and stepped aside.

The Bellevue YMCA was chosen unanimously after Parks and Community Services consulted with the KTUB staff, the Kirkland Youth Council and the KTUB Advisory Board on a “request for qualifications” to see which organizations were interested. The Kirkland Boys and Girls Club was the only other organization up for consideration.

“At the YMCA, we strive to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities,” said Katy Black, finance chair for the Bellevue YMCA. “On a daily basis we serve between 800 and 1,000 members at our locations throughout this area.”

The Bellevue YMCA serves an area stretching from 124th Avenue Northeast in Kirkland south to I-90 and from Lake Washington to Lake Sammamish.