Submitted Media Release from
Maddie Milne
Senior Account Executive
The Dalton Agency
July 25, 2018 3:48 p.m.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – July 24, 2018 – Today, the First Coast YMCA, the University of Florida and UF Health announced their collaboration to bring the Y to Wildlight, a new town under development in Nassau County. As one of the nation’s most effective and enduring charitable organizations, the Y’s cause is to strengthen community. In the coming months, the Y will work closely with the University of Florida, UF Health and Wildlight developer Raydient Places + Properties to ensure the new Y provides a place for residents to nurture mind, body and spirit and to bridge gaps in community needs.
“The First Coast Y is dedicated to helping all Northeast Florida residents live their healthiest lives,” said YMCA of Florida’s First Coast president and CEO Eric K. Mann. “As a community carefully designed from the ground up to promote greater well-being, Wildlight is a natural fit for the Y. We are excited to combine our community-centered resources and healthy living innovations with the extensive medical capabilities from the University of Florida and UF Health to create a total wellness resource for Wildlight and effect meaningful, lasting impact across the region.”
While planning and design has yet to be finalized, the Wildlight Y is conceptualized to accommodate 25,000 square feet. Along with fitness equipment and group exercise studios to help members achieve goals, the new Y will feature an indoor track to increase movement for all ages. In addition, the Y will provide educational programs focused on making healthier choices, reclaiming good health and reducing chronic disease. A wide range of activities and group interest opportunities will also be offered to help adults and families build stronger bonds and become more connected to their community.
“From the very beginning, Wildlight was envisioned as a community that enhances the quality of life for every resident and community member,” said Charles Adams, vice president of community development for Raydient Places + Properties. “While we purposely designed Wildlight’s infrastructure and amenities to promote holistic health, we recognized the critical importance of partnering with nationally-recognized health and wellness organizations to bring their expertise to our community. We are thrilled that the First Coast Y is joining forces with UF and UF Health in Wildlight. We look forward to working together to positively impact the people who live, work and play here.”
To see video on Wildlight’s commitment to wellness, click here.
This announcement builds on the already-established strategic health alliance between UF, UF Health and Raydient Places + Properties to create a national model for healthier communities. To bring this vision to life, UF and UF Health agreed to construct Wildlight’s first medical facility on Highway A1A, just off I-95, which will include urgent care staffed by emergency medicine faculty, primary care using a patient-centered model focused on prevention and early diagnosis, and an imaging center.
“Wellness is always at the center of our plans, in our hospitals and practices throughout Northeast Florida, so it only makes sense to include another outstanding organization dedicated to better health in the Wildlight collaboration,” said Leon L. Haley Jr., MD, MHSA, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville and dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “We’re excited about the possibilities the collaboration with the First Coast YMCA and Raydient Places + Properties will bring to the residents and others in and around Nassau County.”
The new Y is expected to open in late 2019 and will be the second Y location in Nassau County. Additional programs and details will be announced in the coming months.
Since planning and design have not been finalized for the Y at Wildlight, I hope the planners will have the foresight to see the need for a swimming pool to be installed at this facility. NO child in Florida should ever drown simply because they don’t know how to swim.