Let’s workout at the Y; new YMCA facility construction underway

By Alexandra Latremouille

The manager of Windsor-Essex’s YMCA has said construction on the organization’s new facility is well underway.

The 40,000 square-foot building, located on the corner of Central Avenue and Grand Marais Road, will include a 25-metre pool, indoor turf and batting cages. According to Andy Sullivan, it will be an extension of Central Park Athletics, another sporting facility currently established on the property.

Sullivan said the YMCA chose to relocate their athletic facility because demand for it had dwindled downtown.

“It wasn’t sustainable for us to be downtown anymore,” said Sullivan. “The fitness side of things was really suffering. We weren’t making as much of an impact as we wanted to. So, this was a chance for us to basically reset.”

Opened in 1974, the YMCA’s downtown location, on Victoria Avenue, had received little enrollment over the past decade. According to Sullivan, this is due to limited parking and, “that most people just don’t go downtown to meet their fitness needs.”

He said the new project, although a multi-million dollar endeavor, is ultimately worth it.

“For us, it was either we spend three million dollars or so to just get the facility up to par downtown with still no parking and cramped spaces, or we spend that money and get to a central location – on Central,” he said. “This way, far more people around Windsor Essex can utilize our facility and services.”

However, the organization’s educational programs will remain downtown, according to Jacquie Rumiel, vice-president of newcomer and community services.

“We really feel this is where the newcomers are and where the services need to remain,” said Rumiel. “So we will continue to offer our English classes [at 500 Victoria Ave.] each day and we will be offering our settlement and youth program as well.”

Rumiel also said it is imperative for the YMCA’s educational services to remain stationary because of the city’s recent influx of Syrian refugees.

However, she and Sullivan said they are extremely happy the organization’s athletic services will be refurbished. The new facility will open later this year.

“We don’t have a for-sure date yet but we’re estimating it’ll be around late September and we’re really excited,” said Sullivan.