The Vision Iowa Board has awarded $1,675,000 in Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grants for a new YMCA in Council Bluffs and a Veterans Service Center in Waverly. The grants were approved by the Vision Iowa Board at their meeting in Des Moines today (Wednesday).

In western Iowa, the YMCA of Greater Omaha received an award amounting to $1-million towards the more than $16.1million cost of a new Council Bluffs YMCA. The CAT grant award is contingent upong completed fundraising within 90-days. Officials has requested $2-million.

Th project includes the construction of a new 73,000-square-foot YMCA in downtown Council Bluffs. The facility will include a health and wellness center with walking track, warm water therapy pool, gymnasium with bleacher seating for 1200 people, aquatics center with warm water and lap pools, early childhood education center, teen center, family center, outdoor splash zone, teaching kitchen and adjacent surface parking for 136 vehicles.

The Vision Iowa Program provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. Currently, 393 CAT awards have been granted by the board, totaling more than $149.1-million.