Sault YMCA needs roughly 1,000 additional members by July 15
Sault Ste. Marie officials used Monday's city council meeting to stress the "critical" need to drive up local YMCA memberships, with 900 to 1,000 additional sign-ups needed over the next three weeks to prove sustainability.
Brent Lamming, director of community services, delivered these numbers under questioning from several city councillors, revealing that the current YMCA membership total is sitting "just shy" of 1,500.
While regaining nearly 1,500 memberships was no easy feat, given that the YMCA started from essentially zero back in the spring when its closure seemed imminent, Lamming reminded the public that the plan to save the 124-year-old organization is contingent upon showcasing long-term sustainability, with around 2,400 memberships needed by July 15 to fall in line with that target.
"There needs to be an upward trending of membership growth with respect to individuals and businesses," Lamming said on Monday. "So now, time is of the essence."
By the end of the year, Lamming states that the Sault YMCA membership needs to sit closer to 2,700, since this hovers around the sign-up numbers the organization touted before it announced in mid-April that it will be winding down operations by May 15 due to a bleak financial forecast.
However, after weeks of public backlash, the city revealed in early May that an anonymous charitable foundation had come forward to acquire the aging McNabb Street recreation centre for $2 million.
The city later revealed a multi-pronged plan to hopefully sustain local operations moving forward.
This involves the city providing up to $505,000 from its contingency fund for YMCA capital upgrades, namely a new boiler system and roof repairs.
The city will also sign a lease agreement with the building purchaser (to provide a guarantee for lease payments) and enter into a sub-lease agreement with the YMCA, who will be responsible for making the lease payments to the city.
While the city previously stated that this deal was contingent upon the YMCA regaining a total of 3,000 to 4,500 memberships by mid-July, Lamming told council Monday those targets are more of an idealized number that harkens back to the pre-COVID-19 years.
"But for now, for the numbers to work, we need them to trend upwards of 1,000 members (in the short term) and 2,700 by the end of the year," he said.
When asked what local YMCA organizers are doing to help drive local membership, Lamming said they are in the middle of devising a marketing strategy alongside the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario, while also spearheading some public engagement events.
However, Ward 3 Coun. Angela Caputo said their efforts so far haven't been good enough, especially since other groups have been really pulling their weight over the past couple months to help save the Y.
"I would like to see, and I think the public would like to see, more effort," Caputo said on Monday. "If anyone from the YMCA is watching (tonight), I'm hoping to see more and (hear) how important the YMCA is from them, because I'm only hearing it from other agencies, the city, the DSSAB, whatever."
Ward 1 Coun. Sonny Spina echoed Caputo's concerns about not seeing much "movement" from local YMCA organizers and asked city CAO Tom Vair if there's a contingency plan in place in case they don't get close to the 2,400-membership mark by the July 15 city council meeting.
Vair responded by stating that the city has been working closely with YMCA organizers on such a contingency and will have more to report next month.
The Sault YMCA is hosting an open house on Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., to introduce community members to the kinds of programs and services it offers.
This event includes a barbecue (from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and kids activities (from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.).
kdarbyson@postmedia.com
The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible through funding from the federal government
Kyle Darbyson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Sault Star
