Susan and Peter Schottland of Pittsford, New York, recently donated $3.5 million to the YMCA of Greater Rochester. This is the largest donation in the history of that Y, the Democrat & Chronicle reported, whose new Pittsford location is slated to open in October. The 140,000-square-foot center will feature two pools, multiple gyms and several education rooms.
The Moultire YMCA, Moultire, Georgia, has entered the second phase of a $500,000, 18-month renovation project to update its main facility on 26th Avenue, according to a report by The Moultrie Observer. The project, which began in March 2018, has seen the installation of new exercise equipment and flooring with plans to upgrade the facility's basketball hoops, hallways and children's areas, as well as open a special room for active seniors with Parkinson's disease. The renovations are expected to be complete in late 2019, according to the Observer.
The Trenton YMCA, Trenton, New Jersey, has rebranded as the Capital Area YMCA, the Y recently announced. The 162-year-old organization has expanded its services in recent years and wanted to more accurately reflect its membership in and around New Jersey's capital city. "The doors of the YMCA have been open to the entire community regardless of their address since our inception," CEO Sam Frisby said in a media release. "The name Capital Area YMCA better reflects the true diversity of our membership and scope of our service area. ... I welcome our neighbors in Ewing, Lawrence and Trenton ... to find out more about how we are building a strong community here at the YMCA.”
Mark Eckendorf, the CEO of the Lakewood YMCA, Lakewood, New York, categorized an online petition to save the Y from closing as "fake news," according to a report from The Post-Journal. Eckendorf told the Journal that the Change.org petition likely came about after someone misinterpreted an internal marketing study that telephoned community members about a possible consolidation of the local Lakewood and Jamestown Y branches. Eckndorf said there were no immediate plans to make any changes at either facility, despite the fact that the petition has garnered 339 signatures as of Sept. 28.
The YMCA of Madison County recently sold the building housing its Anderson branch in Anderson, Indiana, as part of a multi-year strategic plan launched in 2017, according to the News and Tribune. The Madison County Y CEO Mark Springer cited a century of wear and tear to the building, as well as a growing community, as reasons for the sale. Springer told the Tribune that the Anderson branch, which remains open to the public, may relocate to another building within the next five years.
Club Industry's YMCA briefs features recent notable openings, real estate transactions and renovations among American Y facilities. Do you have news to share with us? Send your news, tips or story ideas to [email protected]. You can also connect with us on Facebook, on Twitter and on LinkedIn.