OPEN LETTER: YMCA must be honest about what went wrong

The newly formed "Save our YMCA" advocacy group has released an open letter to local, provincial and national YMCA boards of directors following the devastating news that our local Y has been forced to close due to financial problems.

Residents recently learned that the McNabb Street institution will be ceasing all its recreational and daycare operations by May 15 unless a solution is found.

The Y notified city officials in late February that it was no longer fiscally fit and might have to close.

Two months later, 169 jobs, 541 daycare spaces, and around 3,000 memberships now hang in the balance.

An update on the Y’s situation will be provided to city councillors today.

The city council meeting will be live-streamed on SooToday starting at 5 p.m.

Below is the full text of the open letter.

Dear Members of the YMCA Boards of Directors:

We write to you not just as key stakeholders and YMCA members, but as representatives of a community deeply affected by the proposed closure of the YMCA in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. 

The Sault Ste. Marie YMCA has served as a cornerstone of health, support, and community engagement for over a century.

The YMCA in Sault Ste Marie has announced an impending closure set for May 15, resulting in significant community concern and response. It is our understanding that this decision was driven by ongoing financial struggles, exacerbated by an aging infrastructure requiring substantial capital investment — estimated to be around $3 million. 

On April 27th, our advocacy group, "Save our YMCA," convened a town hall and working session that was open to the Sault Ste. Marie public. The purpose of the meeting was to provide a platform for community members to express their shared support for YMCA programs, share personal stories about the impact its programs has had on their lives, and discuss the broader consequences of the proposed closure on the critical infrastructure that supports social services and mental health support across our community.

This meeting catalyzed advocacy objectives aimed at enhancing outreach efforts at all levels — local, regional, provincial, and national. Our goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors that have led to this dire situation. It is disheartening that the signs of financial distress were not transparently communicated to us, the very stakeholders who have championed this charity for generations. The lack of direct engagement and transparency over the past three years undermines the relational foundation we have built with the YMCA over the decades. Now, this foundation is fractured, necessitating significant efforts towards repair, goodwill, and proactive engagement.

The YMCA, by its very mission and values, holds a profound commitment to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. This foundational commitment positions the YMCA not just as a service provider, but as a crucial pillar in the social infrastructure of the communities it serves, including Sault Ste. Marie. The consequences of this closure are not merely operational but deeply catastrophic to the fabric of our community, affecting everything from child care to mental health support and community cohesion. This moment presents an opportunity for the YMCA to affirm its dedication to its 
values by actively engaging in solutions to maintain and even enhance its presence and support in Sault Ste. Marie. Turning away now would not only undermine the trust and reliance that the community has placed in the YMCA but would also contradict the organization's longstanding mission to foster and uplift the communities it is a part of.

We urge the YMCA’s governing bodies at all levels to engage more directly with the people of Sault Ste. Marie. We seek clarity and transparency in decisions that have, until now, been shrouded in obscurity. We are not only confronting a financial crisis; we are facing a potential reputational downfall that threatens the legacy of the YMCA in our community.

In conclusion, we, the members of the "Save our YMCA” advocacy group," call upon you to consider the broader impact of the YMCA’s closure in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. We ask for direct action and participation from your leadership to address these issues that go beyond balance sheets and enter the realm of community trust and legacy.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We are ready to assist in any way to facilitate a more positive outcome.

Sincerely,
Save our YMCA Advocacy Group
Co-signers:
Ali Dennie
Kirsten Duke
Dr. Teryn Bruni

Outcomes

Save Our YMCA Town Hall
April 27, 2024

Concerned citizens of Sault Ste. Marie gathered at the Machine Shop to discuss efforts to “Save Our YMCA”. The end of the meeting culminated in small group breakout sessions. The objective of these breakout sessions was to have specific, concrete actions and ask participants to volunteer to complete the actions.

These items were split into three approximate timelines: 5 days, 5 weeks and 5 months.

Below are the consolidated and summarized results of those breakout sessions.

5 Days (immediate)

• Better organize outreach to YMCA (local, ON, CAN) and request public transparency
• Specifically, define maintenance costs, existing plans and budgets
• Share information where possible with additional YMCA key users (beyond Facebook) and in person where possible
• Reach out to community organizations (e.g., Algoma University, Scouts Canada, School Boards) re: impacts beyond daycare spaces
• Request to present outcomes of this meeting to Sault Ste. Marie City Council, with addendum on mental and physical health impacts
• Request from Sault Ste. Marie City Council the opportunity to represent community interests at Working Group (referenced in City Report)
• Challenge community to participate in upcoming City Council meeting(s) where possible, either virtually or in person
• Clearly define goals and objectives of this group going forward (seek legal advisement where necessary)

5 Weeks (short-term)

• Research feasibility of a community trust fund to support future community programs
• Continue to research best practices of successful YMCAs or municipal community centre models for innovative, community-led approaches to providing social services
• Determine what additional needs may require fundraising and interim community support
• e.g., “Donate a membership”
• Consider a “rebrand” from “Save Our YMCA” to “Rebuilding Our Community”

5 Months (long-term + aspirational)

• Explore cooperative fundings models, regional funding models, others as appropriate
• Coordinate efforts to rebuild trust within the community, led by members
• Seek long term partners with interests in the provision of coordinated social services, support City efforts in this regard

In conclusion

• If the YMCA remains open (in some form) that efforts are made to increase transparency and integrity of the organization in conjunction with the community
• If closure occurs, that significant and multifaceted efforts are coordinated to diversify and strengthen Sault Ste. Marie social services

Proposed List of Potential Key Community Supporters of the YMCA

• School Boards (ADSB, HCDSB)
• Algoma University
• Sault College
• Algoma Steel
• Tenaris
• GFL (Full Circle Project?)
• First Nations Communities (Garden River First Nations and Batchewana First Nations)
• Métis Organizations
• Northern Credit Union
• Rotary
• Kiwanis
• Elks
• Scouts Canada