A 40,000-square-foot aquatic and fitness center opened to north Minneapolis residents on Wednesday.
MINNEAPOLIS — V3 Sports has opened its doors to north Minneapolis residents, a long-awaited community center aimed at bringing families together for health, wellness and education.
“This will be a game changer. There's still a lot more that needs to be done, but this is a start,” V3 founder Erica Binger said.
Binger first started the V3 athletic program in 2007 as a way to train students in athletics while promoting leadership and education, and now her former students can see her goals come to fruition in the new 40,000-square-foot facility.
“We have over 12,000 kids that live within a 15-minute walk of here. This is the most densely populated area in the state. So to think we can provide youth programming for them and their families is just incredible,” Binger said.
Dozens of local programs in north Minneapolis have partnered with V3 to help operate aquatics centers, child care facilities and restaurants. Gyms and pools are open, child care centers where parents can bring their kids will open within a week, and restaurants run by local chefs will open in July.
The project first began when V3 purchased the land in 2017 and began fundraising after a year-long hiatus during the pandemic. They plan to break ground on the building, which will be located at the intersection of Plymouth and Lindale streets, in 2022.
Phase two will include a 50-meter Olympic pool that will be used for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Neb., creating a space that will be both a local attraction and serve as an employment resource for the surrounding area. Funding for phase two is still underway, but once complete, the 200,000-square-foot facility is expected to be built by 2027.
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