YMCA announces expansion plan EDISON - Officials at the Metuchen- Edison-Woodbridge YMCA have announced plans to expand the facility by 6,000 square feet, a more than 50 percent increase over the building's 11,00 square feet. The organization's CEO, William Lovett, said that the building is expanding with its membership, having grown from 1,000 members to 8,000 since opening five years ago. Much of the expansion will be focused on increasing the appeal to young people. "We are extremely concerned about the obesity epidemic in the United States and in our own local communities and this expansion reflects our commitment to doing everything we can to help create healthier communities," said Lovett. To this end, the expansion will primarily feature a new 4,300-square-foot wellness center, as well as new program spaces, staff offices and two new locker rooms. The expansion will cost a total of $1.7 million. Lovett said that it is planned that this will be fueled through a capital fundraising campaign, called "Building for a Better Tomorrow." It is hoped that construction will begin sometime by early 2009, with no interruptions to current activities at the YMCA. The fundraising efforts are expected to begin sometime next year. - Chris Gaetano