Paul Chason couldn’t wait to tell me about the vast amount of improvements that have been made at the Atmore Area YMCA.

Last week, the YMCA held a business after hours and open house event for all to come and see the many changes that have come to the local center.

As I sat there listening to Chason, who is the president and CEO of Atmore’s YMCA, I couldn’t help but think about how much has been done there.

From turning the gymnasium into a fitness center, transforming the upstairs into a game room and even working to make one first-floor room into a ballet suite, things are happening and continue to happen at the YMCA.

The business after hours was held in a back room of the YMCA, where most of the events are held. Pasted on a while to the left are before and after pictures of the buildings’ joists and important structural facets that make the building unique.

If you aren’t aware, the YMCA was the old Escambia County High School. The last graduation class graduated in 1959.

A couple familiar faces from the class include Mayor Jim Staff and Webb “The Pepsi Man” Nall. Inside of the main hallway, there is a frame of the Class of 1959. Again, I encourage you to go see this. I found it pretty cool.

Give credit to Chason and the YMCA committee for their work in transforming the building into what it is today.

Go to the building with the tall white columns on Pensacola Avenue and when you leave, you’ll be like me and be impressed with what you just saw.