It’s Traverse City’s version of “Field of Dreams.”

That is, “if you build it, they will come.” And they have.

Before the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA moved to its new facility on Silver Lake Rd., its membership numbers were in the 600-800 range.

Once the doors opened at the site, which is served by Cherryland Electric Cooperative, people kept coming… and joining. First, the Y hit the 1,000 member mark shortly after it opened. Then it reached 2,400 memberships in early January. That news is what welcomed new executive director, Jay Buckmaster, when he took over six weeks ago.

“Once people get inside and see everything that’s offered, they want to be part of it,” said Kerry Kalbfleisch, a YMCA board member and human resources manager at Cherryland.

The state of the art facility offers something for everyone. There are two pools – an eight-lane competitive pool and a warm water recreational pool. There are treadmills, elliptical machines, free weights, aerobics, cardio and strength training. There are also numerous fitness classes, tennis courts, yoga, a hot tub, splash pad and handicap accessible fitness machines. The lighting for all these was enhanced by Cherryland’s energy SAVER rebate program, which provided $15,000 for one of its newest members.

“This new facility is such an exciting addition to our area,” said YMCA board president Lynn Schultz. “A lot of people put in a lot of time planning and fundraising for this. All the hard work was worth it.”

The old YMCA at Logan’s Landing opened in 1964. It still exists and features basketball courts and limited workout facilities. But it began to lose its luster when a Y study revealed that 40 percent of area seventh graders can’t swim 25 yards.

Fifteen years ago the YMCA began to consider a new facility. There were starts and stops along the way – some of it dealing with sites for the facility and some of it because of a slow economy – before the final hurdles were cleared two years ago. Now the new $16.5 million facility is a showcase that will benefit thousands of area residents.

“Thanks to the work of the community and the volunteer efforts of so many people, the feeling you get when you walk in the new Y is just overwhelming… it’s literally overwhelming,” said past YMCA board president Marc Judge. “This will give more people – especially more families – something to do in the heart of winter.”

Work at the new facility isn’t done. The YMCA board hopes to raise $3 million to start Phase II, which is a new gymnasium.

But first, the YMCA and the community can bask in the knowledge that Traverse City’s newest “Field of Dreams” did get built… and is already making a difference.