Stratford council approves agreement to establish new YMCA at community hub

The City of Stratford and the YMCA of Three Rivers will sign an agreement confirming their intent to establish a new Stratford YMCA on the site of the former Grand Trunk Railway locomotive repair shop as part of the proposed community hub development.

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City council approved Monday the memorandum of understanding between the city and the YMCA of Three Rivers, which operates YMCAs in Guelph, the Waterloo Region and Stratford. Along with the University of Waterloo, which is expected to build an expansion to its Stratford campus as the Grant Trunk property is developed, the local YMCA has been involved in the community hub planning process since the beginning as one of two main anchor tenants.

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“The YMCA of Three Rivers is very excited to explore this project in partnership with the City of Stratford,” CEO Mike Ennis in an email. “The Y has been a part of the Stratford community for over 150 years, and we’re excited to continue building a healthier community for many years to come.”

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A report presented to council by city staff indicated the new YMCA building is intended to build capacity and reach more people, with a particular focus on underserved community members. The new YMCA is planned to be roughly 5,110 square meters (55,000 square feet), anchored by a health and wellness center, and contain community rooms and a licensed childcare space.

Other specific amenities planned for the new building include an aquatic center with lap and warming pools; a gymnasium that can be divided into multiple programmable spaces; a multipurpose exercise studio; specialized rooms for cycling, dance, Pilates and yoga; expanded and specialized locker rooms; and multi-purpose space for social, educational and community events and meetings.

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According to the city’s Grand Trunk community hub master plan approved by the previous city council in 2018, the Stratford YMCA has served residents at its current site on the Grand Trunk property at the corner of Downie and St. Patrick streets since 1869. The master plan noted the current building is in need of drastic renovations and repairs to address accessibility, space needs and operating inefficiencies. The YMCA also operates the only indoor, publicly accessible pool in the city.

“(The YMCA) has been a part of our community forever,” Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma told the Beacon Herald. “I go back to thinking about the (original YMCA building) and how it’s swimming pool was heated by steam from the locomotive shop. That connection, now, is serendipitous in that they’ll (soon) be in that same building that once heated their swimming pool. …That is a living, breathing, historical connection. So for us to recommit ourselves to that partnership is so, so important.

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“It’s for all of Stratford, so we’ll continue to work on that partnership and they’ll provide opportunities for all of our residents and visitors alike.”

Ritsma said the YMCA of Three Rivers will also likely lead the city’s efforts to help raise the estimated $68 million cost of the community hub development.

While Ritsma noted the memorandum is a high-level document and there will be many more future agreements for the YMCA and council to consider, it does specify the city will retain ownership of the property and the Grand Trunk building. The city will also be responsible for building maintenance while the YMCA will contribute financially to the costs of construction and upkeep of the building. The YMCA, the memo states, will retain oversight and final decision making over design aspects of the new YMCA building subject to city approval.

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While the YMCA will initially be a tenant of the community hub, the agreement also notes future opportunities for the organization to become owner of the YMCA facility itself, or to enter into an operating agreement with the city around program delivery and maintenance. This agreement also helps pave the way for the city and YMCA to consider joint programming and memberships for other planned tenants of the community hub, like University of Waterloo students and members of the Stratford Lakeside Active Adults Association.

“With this relationship, it’s easy taking the next steps forward. … We’re taking that next step forward together knowing that historical framework (between the city and YMCA) is already in place,” Ritsma said.

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