The Salvation Army Coos Bay Unveils

New Gym for Youth Fitness and Fun

By Gold Meadows and KCBY.com Staff

Story originally reported on KMTR, an NBC affiliate

Coos Bay, OR — Nearly three years after the roof collapsed on their previous gym, which was over 60 years old, the doors have finally re-opened for youth fitness and fun at the Salvation Army Coos Bay Corps.

Salvation Army’s Major Steven Bradley tells us not only are staff elated, but the children are especially thrilled to have a new place to play.

Nearby youth paid visits to the Salvation Army throughout the summer keeping a close check on when the gym would be open.

“One of our staff actually let them see it, and they wanted to come in so bad, but they couldn’t. So it was a great relief to them.”

Bradley says it’s a necessary complement to their educational after school youth programming that was missed over the last years.

“It just deteriorated,” Bradley said. “It was all wood, and the original gymnasium like many buildings in this area was built on sand, and so it just was not strong enough.”

It’s now back and better thanks to Yorke & Curtis construction with a cement foundation, temperaturecontrolled air system, bleachers, and a wi-fi operable scoreboard.

The Salvation Army is also moving ahead with additional capital campaign efforts for the renovation of the adjacent corps building at the site that has substantial roof and structural damage.

“It’s so exciting to see their faces,” Bradley said. “When we first opened last week, the first day to see the eyes popping in the children as they came into the gymnasium. It’s like they’d never seen anything like this before.”

And while Bradley says they replaced the gym through insurance, other renovations depend on community donations. That plan includes kitchen renovation as well as updates to some of the site’s classrooms, offices and bathrooms.