Walnut Hills residents who want to keep a YMCA facility open in their neighborhood have until today to respond to a deal that will do that.
A couple Cincinnati Council Members worked on the agreement with YMCA officials.
Wendell Young said it keeps the Melrose Y open for two more years with additional hours and funding.
In 2015, the community can take over the facility if it doesn't like the Y's plan for it.
"My feeling is they've got two years to gear up, find a way to keep the facility open even though it won't be a YMCA if they want to do that," Young said. "In the interim they have the YMCA for at least two more years with additional hours and additional funding."
The YMCA had reduced operating hours at Melrose late last year. That angered people who used the facility.
Some of them told council members in January the Y's leadership was diverting resources away from city facilities to those located in the suburbs. Another location in Walnut Hills was closed in 2011.
YMCA officials said the new Melrose schedule accommodated most users and while membership has been increasing, it was not enough to warrant extended hours.
