UPDATE: YMCA surpasses membership goal ahead of Monday's deadline

10:56 a.m. update:

The Sault YMCA reports that it has now surpassed the 2,400-member threshold.

Membership as of this morning, including recent pledges, has pushed total members to 2,446.

6 p.m. original story:

The Sault Ste. Marie YMCA says it is now within 100 memberships of its goal in keeping the doors open ahead of an important city council meeting on Monday.

The 'Y' issued a news release late this afternoon saying the YMCA is currently at 2,304 members, or just 96 members short of a goal set for July 15.

The charitable organization recently got a pledge of funding from Algoma Steel and a local charitable foundation that was supporting the 'Y' behind the scenes also came forward in the hope of rallying community support for the facility. 

SooToday published a summary earlier today on how we got here and what you can do if you want to help out the local YMCA.

You can find more details on the 'Y' getting closer to its membership target in the following release:

The Sault Ste. Marie YMCA is pleased to report significant progress towards its membership goal.

With a target of 2,400 members by July 15, 2024, the YMCA is currently at 2,304 members, including pledges.

This milestone reflects the strong community support in Sault Ste. Marie as the YMCA works to secure its future.

Representatives from the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA will appear before city council on Monday (July 15) for a vote that will determine the city's role in the YMCA's future operations.

The plan involves the Dr. Lou and Mae Lukenda Charitable Foundation purchasing the McNabb Street building and leasing it back to the YMCA, with the city backing the lease and contributing to capital repairs.

In May, city council voted to assist in preventing the closure of the YMCA by agreeing to provide up to $505,000 for capital repairs. This funding could be leveraged to access an additional $495,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.

The plan requires the YMCA to increase its membership from approximately 1,500 to 2,400 to demonstrate long-term sustainability.

In the past several weeks, the YMCA has seen a substantial increase in memberships, and now only remains 96 short of the target goal.

The outcome of the city council's vote and subsequent steps will play a crucial role in the YMCA's path forward.

The next step includes a presentation by city staff of a memorandum of understanding, outlining the city's governance role and the YMCA's reporting responsibilities.

A recent $250,000 donation from Algoma Steel will contribute to the YMCA's $1.5 million 'Bridge to our Future' campaign, which aims to cover necessary repairs, upgrades, and membership subsidies.

"Our community’s response has been nothing short of inspiring," said Elise Schofield, chair of the SSM YMCA’s board of directors. "Achieving our membership target is critical, not just for our operational sustainability, but for maintaining the essential programs and services that our residents rely on every day."

For more information and to become a member, please visit https://ssmymca.ca/healthfitness/join-now/ or stop by the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA today.