YMCA leadership gets earful from frustrated members blindsided by closure news

Frustrated members of the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA looking for marching orders to help save the organization from closure were left with few options after a meeting with leadership on Wednesday.

About 100 people attended the two-hour meeting, which was held in the main gymnasium of the 60-year-old building. Over the years, that same gym has hosted countless games of basketball, floor hockey and volleyball — but all that will come to an end after the Y announced yesterday that the doors will close permanently on May 15 due to financial difficulties.

Citing legal reasons, interim CEO John Haddock and board member Jake D'Agostini were not able to offer specifics on what led to the decision to close the facility. But they told the crowd the Sault YMCA needs a lot of money in a very short amount of time to have any hope of keeping the doors open.

Haddock said financial pressures have been ongoing for many years at the local Y, but something occurred much more recently that put the organization into the difficult position it is in, with all programs ceasing and all staff to be laid off less than a month from now.

"Where we're at today is where we're at today," Haddock said. "We have tried to work though some major issues for the last five months and external forces are giving us a tighter timeline to resolve them."

Asked to put a dollar amount on what is needed to avoid closure, Haddock said the organization owes about $1.5 million, with monthly payments amounting to about $17,000. At the same time, membership numbers are at about 2,800 — well down from the 7,000 or so in the 1990s when he was CEO the first time.

"For financial obligations, we can't not put it on the market," Haddock said. "We're not talking about $100,000. We're probably talking about $3 million."

"The axe hasn't fallen yet," D'Agostini told the crowd. "We will explore every possible option we have."

The available options are slim, with Haddock telling the gathering that at this point, individual fundraising efforts would likely not be effective given the time frame the Y is dealing with. The only way for the organization to immediately get out of the mess it is in would be through a huge donation made in very short order.

"In terms of all possibilities, if there was an angel investor that came forward in the next week or next 10 days? Absolutely. I think we can have those discussions," he said.

Although the building is now on the market for almost $3 million, Haddock said much of the infrastructure is outdated and at the end of life, with the roof and boiler needing replacing. A $3-million injection of fast cash would likely only buy the organization about two more years, he said.

A new building could cost upwards of $8 million, Haddock said, an amount that would take years to raise and build. He also noted that standalone YMCAs are no longer typical for new builds.

Haddock said he was involved in the construction of a new Y in Waterloo, which took up about 45,000 square feet — half the current size of the Sault YMCA in a much larger city. It also included shared space with the municipality, including a library branch, and was built on property owned by the university.

Most members in attendance expressed shock at the short notice given by management about the closure, which is sure to affect jobs, daycare, programming for youth and seniors and countless other downstream effects.

Ali Dennie told those in attendance she was about eight years old when she began coming to the Y. As she grew up, she gave back by volunteering in the gymnastics program to help other children and now she is facing a future where her own young children will not have a Y to enjoy.

Dennie fought back tears as she spoke about everything the Y has given her over the years.

"I was here every single day, I'm not joking. I did swimming, I did gymnastics, I coached the recreational program," she said.

Dennie only had those opportunities, and the friendships that came with them, because the Y offered subsidized programming for families in need. 

"What happens for those kids whose parents can't afford it?" she asked.

Aside from waiting for an angel investor, Dennie asked what can members can do to assist.

"I'll write the letters, I will do all of that stuff," she said. "We can't wait for a facility to be built in ten years."

Haddock told the crowd the municipality is very much aware of the Y's situation and he recommended letters be addressed to the city's leadership. He said the provincial and federal governments have not yet been approached for funding assistance.

On Tuesday, Mayor Matthew Shoemaker told SooToday the municipality may be able to help soften the blow of losing programs by offering additional swimming lessons and providing other services, but noted it is unlikely the municipality will take over ownership of the building.

Ann Ciaschini retired from the Y's board in 2020 after serving on it for nine years. She told the crowd she was one of the few board members who wanted to tell the community the full explanation of the Y's financial difficulties at the time, but was outvoted.

"You needed to know we were in dire straits, and I am telling you I was one of the lone wolves," she said. "So here we are now, it's going to be gone and that's not right, as far as I am concerned."

Former CEO Marty Wyant reminded the crowd how he went to city hall in 2009 seeking a $2 million municipal donation to go toward plans at the time for a new building. That amount would have accounted for about 17 per cent of the total build cost at the time and would have put in motion a campaign that could have avoided the current situation.

After initially receiving support from council of the day to continue the discussion, Wyant went back to the horseshoe to secure the funding.

"It was unanimously rejected," said Wyant. "Right after that the infrastructure proposal for the Northern Community Centre went forward, so I think the city made a choice."

The imminent closure of the daycare at the McNabb Street facility was a concern brought up by a number of people at the meeting.

Dr. John Tuinema attended with his infant son, Jack, strapped to his chest. He noted that Jack was scheduled to start attending daycare about two weeks from now, and his family will be in a difficult situation if a solution isn't found before May 15.

"Both my wife and I have critical health care positions. We're not sure what we're going to do, usually in order to get any time off we need months in advance to prepare," said Tuinema. "We're going to be in a tough situation."

Reyanna Sangestino also works in health care in a local medical lab. She notes without daycare for her young child, she may be forced to take more time off, which could have an effect on the delivery of lab results for local patients. She is also concerned that daycare workers will lose their jobs, as well as the people who will have to stay home to take care of their children if it isn't available.

"There's already a shortage with daycares. So now it's either one of us becomes a stay-at-home parent and now I have to go to work every single day and miss out on my kids," she said.

Haddock noted the Y is working with the District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board for a solution to the 140 spaces that will be lost when the daycare in the building closes.