YMCA of Southwestern Ontario wants to reinvigorate its branch in downtown London, but needs a partner to do so.
The charity issued a formal request for expressions of interest from potential community partners on Wednesday.
“Centre Branch YMCA has been a steadfast support system for many in downtown London for over 40 years, and we deeply value the support of our members, staff, and volunteers. As we envision the next 40 years and beyond, it has become evident that there’s an opportunity to modernize and enhance this location in response to our community’s evolving needs,” said Andrew Lockie, the CEO of YMCA of Southwestern Ontario. “We believe that with the right community partner, we can revitalize Centre Branch YMCA and are very excited to take the first step on this journey.”
The aging branch located at 382 Waterloo St. is in need of capital improvements and repairs. Any partner would need to have a shared focus and similar values to those of the Y to craft a model that would best support the branch's nearly 3,000 members, said Lockie.
"While each facility and community is unique, we’re confident that with the right partner or partners, a revitalized YMCA can be a reality for London’s core for generations to come,” Lockie said. “For instance, we’ve built successful municipal and community partnership models in London, including at our StarTech.com and Stoney Creek YMCA facilities, and in numerous other communities across southwestern Ontario.”
Receiving expressions of interest from potential partners is just the first step in what is anticipated to be a years-long process of modernizing and enhancing the branch.
Lockie did make clear, the Y has no plans to shutter the location, like it did with the Bob Hayward YMCA at 1050 Hamilton Rd. last October.
"Our commitment to maintaining our presence in the downtown core remains strong. That’s what this is about - maintaining and enhancing our downtown offering so we can best support those who rely on us,” said Lockie. “Our current focus is on hearing from interested partners in our community and securing the right model for Centre Branch Y.”
