Lukenda foundation behind Sault YMCA purchase

The mystery buyer behind the recent purchase of the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA has finally come to light.

A representative of the Dr. Lou and Mae Lukenda Charitable Foundation confirmed to The Sault Star on Wednesday that the group opted to purchase the recreational centre, located at 235 McNabb St., for $2 million back in May.

This move effectively prevented the Sault YMCA from shuttering its operations altogether, with officials previously announcing in April that the local organization was no longer viable due to dire financial circumstances.

This all changed on May 7 when the YMCA announced that an anonymous charitable foundation had agreed to acquire the aging recreation centre and help maintain operations with some help from the city.

"The foundation wanted to help support this effort to save the Y because of the importance of it to the community and the services that it provides," said Tim Lukenda, the son of Lou and Mae and one of the foundation's directors.

"As a foundation that's based here in the Sault, we try to help causes that we think are important to the community."

As to why the foundation's members opted to maintain anonymity until now, Tim said they initially wanted to avoid generating publicity surrounding the purchase and stick to working behind the scenes.

"But as this unfolded, we became concerned that there seemed to be suspicion around the anonymity of the purchaser, and we felt that was counterproductive to the exercise," he said.

"And so, the decision was made to announce that it was our foundation was involved, with the hopes that it would reassure some people that we're in it for the right reasons."

The namesakes for the Dr. Lou and Mae Lukenda Charitable Foundation are well-known in the community, having been inducted into the Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame back in 2018 for their extensive philanthropic and humanitarian work.

The couple tackled various causes throughout their over 60 years of marriage, focusing on initiatives in the realm of education, medicine and athletics.

Outside of working as a local dentist, Lou's interest in athletics was a constant throughout his life and he was "involved in many sports teams at the YMCA," according to his official obituary.

Lou's passion for sports encouraged him to become the owner of the Soo Greyhounds, ensuring that the hockey team remained in the city for generations to come.

In terms of education, Lou and Mae served as major benefactors for institutions such as Algoma University, Sault College and Lake Superior State University, supporting students' educational pursuits through bursaries and scholarships.

Lou was also very involved in a variety of health-care initiatives.

He opened the Sault's first nursing home, Tendercare, in 1970 and served as the founder and chairman of Extendicare nursing homes throughout Canada and Michigan.

After Lou and Mae died in 2017 and 2018, respectively, their children continued this work through the foundation, which was established prior to their passing.

While the Lukenda foundation has agreed to buy the McNabb Street building, its financial support is contingent upon certain conditions being met.

The city has since come forward with a multi-pronged plan to save the YMCA, which involves the municipal government signing a lease agreement with the building purchaser and providing $505,000 for capital upgrades.

For this deal to go through, the Sault YMCA must also prove it can remain sustainable moving forward, with the city requiring its memberships to reach around 2,400 by July 15.

Last week, YMCA officials revealed they have regained over 1,600 members after starting from zero back in the spring (when the organization’s shuttering seemed imminent).

The YMCA has also been courting local businesses for pledge donations, with Algoma Steel announcing on Tuesday that it will donate $250,000 over five years to prop up the organization’s $1.5 million capital campaign.

While the YMCA's progress will be discussed in more detail during Monday's council meeting, Tim said his foundation is dedicated to working with the city to find a long-term solution and encourages other Sault residents to do their part.

"We really feel strongly that the Y is an important asset for the community. And, we feel, in order for it to be successful we need everyone to rally behind it," he said.

"It's something the community at large can do, to step up and try to support the Y through the purchase of memberships at this time. That's really the best thing that anyone can do."

kdarbyson@postmedia.com

The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible through funding from the federal government

Kyle Darbyson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Sault Star