Bringing back Winchester’s YMCA is no longer a possibility, but an idea being considered by the Clark County Health Department may be a positive solution that would greatly benefit to the public.

Although in the very early stages and still only under analysis to determine the true feasibility, health department officials said they are taking a look at the now-vacant, bank-owned property. The consideration is that the main building would be converted to office and meeting spaces while the tennis courts and gym would be maintained.

The pool would be closed and turned into activity space. Although we would love to see a public pool maintained for the community, it likely would be a losing proposition financially and difficult to sustain.

Keeping these facilities in the hands of a public agency focused on the health and wellness of Winchester and Clark County would be a small way to, using the old phrase, turn lemons into lemonade.

It also opens the door to some very exciting possibilities.

We would love to see other partners step up and consider a variety of collaboration efforts to make this deal become something that makes sense for the health department and the entire community.

Some of the entities that could help make this happen include Clark Regional Medical Center, the school district, parks and recreation and various civic organizations and foundations. All could find great benefit for quality meeting and recreation space embedded within a residential neighborhood, creating another hub that could become a focal point of activities.

We applaud the health department for considering this option and hope to see it gain some momentum.

Clearly it would require thinking outside the box and figuring out exactly what a partnership would look like financially, organizationally and logistically. It is a great opportunity to create the type of partnerships and collaboration that can bring meaningful progress to Clark County.