Tim Cutt, President, Petroleum, was the guest of honour at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new YMCA Red River Fitness & Natural Sciences Campus, located adjacent to the BHP Billiton Shreveport office. The ceremony was attended by several representatives from BHP Billiton, as well as executive and Board leadership from the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, local elected officials and leaders in the community.

Construction of the new campus was made possible by a US$10.7 million investment from BHP Billiton, announced in June 2014.

Describing the YMCA project as one that "aligns closely to our core values as a company," Tim spoke of the new campus’s promise to help increase educational opportunity, improve health and wellness, and in other important ways contribute to the quality of life in Shreveport/Bossier and surrounding parishes.

The first phase of the new YMCA Red River Fitness & Natural Sciences Campus is to comprise some 13.9 acres and will include a multi-purpose facility of more than 56,000 square feet, with amenities including a 50-meter indoor competition swimming pool, an indoor family pool, a gymnasium, free-weight area, exercise studios, health and wellness screening areas, locker rooms, outdoor event areas and soccer and tee-ball fields.

"This vision held by the YMCA becomes a reality today, not just for Northwest Louisiana, but also for the neighbouring communities who look for us, as a large metropolitan area, to invest in youth education, wellness programs, and competitive youth sports," said YMCA Board Chairperson Greg Morrison. "Our investment efforts and our partnership with BHP Billiton have made it possible to respond with a resounding 'Yes.'"

Phase One construction is to begin in July 2015 and take approximately 18 to 24 months to complete. In the later second phase of development, the campus will expand to a total of 42 acres, including connections to the Red River Bike Trail and the Clyde Fant Parkway. A third phase is to incorporate a natural sciences education facility, including outdoor amenities such as walking paths and wildlife observation areas. These elements will expand the total project footprint to about 150 acres.

"The shared vision of a great future project has enabled us to build great long-term relationships that will continue to provide benefit to the community for years to come," said Tim.