YMCA to stay open through Thanksgiving

SOUTH TOLEDO - YMCA of Greater Toledo President and CEO Robert Alexander said Wednesday afternoon that the South End YMCA will stay open until at least Thanksgiving if it sells 500 memberships.

In advance of a town hall meeting at the Teamsters Local 20 union hall, Alexander said the South End YMCA, which was scheduled to close at the end of the month due to Ohio's budget crunch, will stay open through at least late November.

The YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo will have to sell at least 500 three-year memberships in order to keep the YMCA branch, located on the Anthony Wayne Trail near Glendale Avenue, open.

That number would financially support the South Toledo Y for the next three years while plans move forward for a new Healthy Lifestyle Center on the University of Toledo's Health Science Campus.

"Just look at the numbers," Alexander said. "We have a $300,000 problem on our hands here and if you sell 500 memberships, that equates to just about $300,000 per year. That closes the gap."

Alexander said the YMCA of Greater Toledo will begin immediately a "Save the South Y" campaign that will run through Nov. 26.

The 500 new three-year memberships for the South YMCA branch and the Morse Center, will be sold at a reduced rate of $40/month for an individual membership and $50/month for a family membership.

"We never intended to leave South Toledo," said Paul Schlatter, a YMCA board member. "We intended to leave this facility. The building has a significant number of problems that we're going to have to. It's no different that your house - a new roof, a new boiler."

"Its very doable," Schlatter added. "I think it's doable. It depends on how many people get out and hustle."

A standing room only crowd filled the Teamsters Local 20 union hall to hear about the future of the South Toledo Y. It mostly seemed to be a love fest for CedarCreek Church which planned to take over the building, but now, that seems to be a moot point.

Pastor Powell has agreed to outline exactly what will be done with the existing property and what kind of programs might be available for south Toledo residents.

The South Toledo Y was set to close at the end of August due to state budget cuts. Since the announcement was made in July by Gov. Ted Strickland, South End residents have been very upset that they were not notified sooner about the closing.

State Senator Teresa Fedor and several South End YMCA supporters were seen protesting the building's closure Wednesday morning.

Although this is good news for though who have been fighting to keep it open, they are viewing the announcement cautiously. Sen. Fedor said she's not sure this is really the answer.

"I'm very concerned," Senator Fedor said. "The terms that have been laid out and other neighborhoods didn't have to jump through hurdles to save their Y and to build new. So I think there is a fairness issue here that has to be discussed."

Hours after the state moved on its budget plans, CedarCreek stepped in and agreed to a deal with the YMCA/JCC to take possession of the South Toledo YMCA facility.

The church had planned to take ownership by Sept. 1, and after a year of remodeling, CedarCreek would re-open the building in early fall 2010 or by the start of 2011. Those plans are on hold with Alexander's announcement that the South End branch will stay open through at least Nov. 26.

The final transfer of the property hinges on CedarCreek being able to get at least 350 parking spaces near the building without having to take a chunk of green park space.

 

(FOX Toledo's Heather Miller contributed to this report)