YMCA seeks partners to modernize, enhance downtown London branch

Southwestern YMCA is searching for community partners to revitalize its downtown London branch that recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.

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The YMCA said Wednesday it is making a formal request for expressions of interest from potential community partners to help meet the growing needs of members and the community for recreation downtown.

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“The building is aging and it’s starting to pile up the need for capital improvements and replacement,” said Andrew Lockie, chief executive of YMCA of Southwestern Ontario. “We want to make sure that we have a vibrant and sustainable building in the downtown for the long term.”

The 382 Waterloo St. branch with nearly 3,000 members hopes to stay in the location for the long haul, but for that, new investment and fresh programs are needed.

“It (the branch) needs partnership, shared investment and shared space and that’s what this process is designed to do, to bring those partners forward in a transparent way,” Lockie said.

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Examples of “successful municipal and community partnership models” in London, Lockie said, are the StarTech.com community center on Southdale Road in southwest London and the Stoney Creek community center on Sunningdale Road in northeast London. Both centers have a London Public Library branch, and the StarTech.com center has a double-pad arena operated by the city.

Lockie said the plan is not to close the center branch.

In October last year, the Bob Hayward YMCA at 1050 Hamilton Rd. which operated for 60 years, closed due to financial struggles and a decline in memberships.

Consultation to find out for what members are looking is yet to be done, Lockie said, but the branch’s popular health fitness in aquatics is one of the programs expected to be maintained.

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The branch wants to ensure its new partnership works together with members so the revitalization also fits in with the community’s needs.

The process of finding new partners should be open for a “short while,” followed by the second phase, planning how the partnership fits into the branch. The third phase is figuring out a model and construction time, Lockie said.

The Y hopes to make traction with a “large-scale” project soon, Lockie said, but it could take years to come to fruition.

“We’re excited about turning the page to the future and thinking long term about where we fit in downtown going forward. And having partners that can make this work really well for folks in London, whether they’re living downtown or whether they work downtown or whether they go downtown,” he said.

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