By MARGO HORNER, The Mirror

The YMCA of Greater Seattle will close its Federal Way Norman Center campus effective April 1.

The decision makes financial sense because daily enrollment for preschool at the Norman Center has continued to decline for the past four years, said Angela Griffin, associate executive of the Federal Way Norman Center.

“We haven’t been serving enough kids over the years that we’ve been open... There are a lot of childcare facilities in Federal Way,” Griffin said, adding that the YMCA offers more than traditional daycare services, but there hasn’t been enough demand.

“It’s not just daycare, but unfortunately the community hasn’t really wrapped their brain around that and they haven’t been coming to us the way that we need them to,” she said. “So it becomes financial because we don’t really have enough kids.”

The YMCA will continue to offer some services through off-site programs. A school-age child care program will remain open at Sherwood Forest Elementary.

Staff members are currently working to find a site to relocate the school-age program currently offered at the Norman Center. The YMCA site at The Commons mall or one of the public schools in Federal Way are options officials are considering.

YMCA staff will assist families using the Norman Center preschool program to find alternatives with other providers. About 20 families will be affected by that change.

The YMCA will continue to offer youth sports and summer camp programs at sites in Federal Way schools. Activities will also continue to be held at the YMCA’s location in The Commons mall.

Contact Margo Horner: mhorner@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565.

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