YFC Parking Lot Renovations

An Investment for Generations to Come

Youth for Christ (YFC) has been reaching young people and introducing them to the hope of Jesus Christ since 1944. The ministry has 135 chapters across the U.S. including the West Central Minnesota YFC (WCMYFC) which is located on the edge of downtown Willmar, Minnesota. For those familiar with the area, the building is a well-recognized structure. “Our building is a gateway into downtown,” says YFC Executive Director, Sean Levesque. 

In 2021, YFC committed to a significant property improvement project with goals of increasing their impact on area youth, improving visibility, and creating a more positive first impression. Their leadership team began working with Duininck to make a comprehensive plan for improvements to a large, vacant lot adjacent to their existing parking lot. “When working with our team, Duininck took an educational approach,” says Levesque. The finalized plan included a new basketball court, a full renovation of the existing parking lot, and a beautiful green space with seating and landscaping.

Duininck Grading Crew Lead, Alan King, and his team began the grading work in late July and by early August the Paving Crew arrived to complete the surfacing work. 

Chad Paradis, Private Paving Crew Lead, explains, “We laid 2.5 in. of base, which is about 220 tons of materials. It was challenging going underneath stairs and alongside the building. With tight drainage on the basketball court, it couldn’t be less than a 1% grade. But the subbase was good. Al King did a wonderful job with the base and we couldn’t have been happier.” 

The new multi-purpose outdoor space has given YFC even more opportunities to positively impact their community. “So, even though it’s just a basketball court and it’s blacktop, this is changing lives for eternity,” adds Levesque.

“OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES. STANDING ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO HOW MUCH THAT MEANS TO US. THIS IS A CAUSE THAT WE SUPPORT AND BELIEVE IN. IT BRINGS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.” -JEFFERY DUININCK, WILLMAR AREA MANAGER

Additional Contributors
Landscaping: I&M Landscaping
Electrical Work & LIghting: Willmar Electric