The road ahead for the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA is far more favourable after tonight's meeting of city council than the dead end it was anticipating just a few short months ago.
Despite lingering concern from some members of city council, unanimous votes were cast in support of backstopping a 10-year lease to the organization, with requirements that the Sault Y provide regular reports to the city and that a member of city staff be included on its board.
Ward 5 councillor Corey Gardi did not take part in the vote due to a stated conflict because he is a member of the Sault Y.
Jim Janzen, senior vice-president of YMCA Ontario, said in all of his years involved with the organization he has never seen a facility that was on the verge of closure be met with such a groundswell of support from residents, local businesses and city council, as occurred in Sault Ste. Marie.
Janzen said, as of the start of Monday's council meeting, a total of 2,604 have been signed up — 200 more than the number the organization was targeting in the short term and working toward the growing numbers of members it will need for the future.
The second life for the Sault Y comes as YMCAs in many other municipalities have closed due to financial problems or had their buildings shuttered before a new facility was ready to operate.
Janzen said what happened in Sault Ste. Marie — an angel investor purchasing the building and the Sault Y signing a 10-year memorandum of understanding with the city — is unprecedented.
"I have never seen a YMCA prepare to cease operations and then return to the table at the bequest of the community at this level. I've never seen that happen," Janzen told media immediately after the unanimous vote that secures the organization's immediate future. "What this clearly was, was just a groundswell of support — and continues to be that — and in my career doing this kind of work this is never happened."
In recent weeks, a total of $529,494 has been raised by the Sault Y for its 'A Bridge to Our Future' campaign — $250,000 of which was pledged by Algoma Steel over a span of the next five years.
In May, city council approved of an investment of up to $505,000 toward infrastructure improvements to the building, with matching funds expected from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. After a closer assessment of the work needed, that figure has been reduced to $375,000.
Sault Y board member Jake D'Agostini said one of the next steps for the organization is to put together a long-term plan, which will need to be presented to the city by Dec. 31.
If membership numbers continue to grow, D'Agostini told media it is possible the number of programs being offered at the Y could increase or programming that had been cancelled as the organization faced a reduction of members could return.
"With our partnership with the city, we can now work to canvass the community needs and then offer the programs the community needs," said D'Agostini. "This gives us that room to breathe and then it allows us to then look at offering a range of other options."
During the meeting, Ward 3 councillor Angela Caputo about the current complement of board members. The Sault Y's board currently consists of seven members, but the organization's by-laws support up to 12.
Caputo asked if the slate is going to be wiped clean with an all new board, or will it continue with the seven members who were on board when the Sault Y fell into financial hardship.
D'Agostini said some members are approaching the end of their term on the board, while some others are considering whether they will continue to serve on it.
In her comments, Caputo said she will vote in favour of the plan to support the Sault Y because it is integral to the community, but insisted that restructuring of the board is needed to ensure the strength of the organization moving into the future.
"I have seen the City of Sault Ste. Marie step up to the plate, I have seen local business owners step up to the plate. I have seen the Lukenda Foundation step up to the plate. What I have not seen is the YMCA board step up to the plate," said Caputo. "I think we need to recognize that the love of the YMCA is sometimes not enough to sit on a board."
In his comments, Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said it was a worthwhile endeavour for the city to intervene to help save the Y, while expressing thanks to the community for playing its part.
"The lifeline for the YMCA was facilitated by the generosity of the Dr. Lou and Mae Lukenda Charitable Foundation and the business community, the leadership of advocates like the Save the YMCA group, the financial backing of City Council and the support of the community at-large," said Shoemaker. "I want to express sincere gratitude to all of the aforementioned parties for their support. Your efforts speak to our community’s best qualities."
Shoemaker also thanked Village Media CEO Jeff Elgie for playing a significant role in coordinating a media campaign to ensure the YMCA met its membership target.
"We didn’t have much time, and we were forced to work tirelessly to attempt to come up with a solution and then seek the support needed to implement it. I would not say we were positioned to succeed, but the generosity of the community overcame an incredibly challenging situation," said Shoemaker.
Shoemaker said while the organization now has short-term stability, it requires new leadership and a long-term plan to ensure it never finds itself in the same situation again.
"I know my Council colleagues have expressed significant concerns about the operations of the YMCA. I share them," said Shoemaker. "The generosity I’ve outlined this evening will not solve all the Y’s problems. There is still lots of work to do, and I’m hopeful that a rejuvenated board of directors will help lead the way on tackling that badly needed work."