Keep The YMCA Open On Weekends!

As you may know, the Bronzeville YMCA (Y) located at 3763 S. Wabash has recently changed its schedule and is closed on weekends. The weekend closure has impacted programs facilitated at the YMCA which are in line with its goal to uplift and cater to the community and its mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

The Bronzeville YMCA was created over a century ago and was recently renovated to strengthen the community and change lives in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood. The benefits of the Bronzeville YMCAs renovation have extended far into the neighborhood, and community youth and residents have started to rely on it daily. The updated pool offers swimming, while the gym serves as a multipurpose room for basketball and other sports, community programs, workshops and banquets.

Prior to the weekend closures, the Y was open on Saturday from 8am 5pm and on Sunday from noon -5pm. The weekend closing is a critical issue and poses a series of concerns among the community at large and specifically Bronzeville Community Cares (BCC), a local not-for-profit community organization, including the following:

Increase in loitering amongst youth
Increase in negative activity and/or crime amongst youth
Decrease in weekend programs aimed at supporting community youth
Potential decrease in income-generating opportunities from facility rentals
Decrease in potential memberships from residents who are new to the community

BCC has relied on the use of the YMCA since last August when it hosted its first monthly youth program titled Back To School Pep Talk. The objective of these events is to provide motivation and encouragement to youth and teenagers in the area, while giving them an open forum to discuss vital issues that affect them daily including: Peer Pressure, Choices & Consequences, Responsibility, and Sex/STDs/HIV/AIDS.

The utilization of the Bronzeville Y has been critical to the success of the Pep Talks mainly because of the prime location and its newly renovated ballroom, which holds approximately 75 people. We continued to host monthly events at the YMCA and each event grows noticeably in attendance. Most recently, BCC hosted a College Panel at the Bronzeville Y in which college students home on Christmas break discussed with high school Juniors and Seniors how to make a smooth transition to college and what college life is really like. This was a huge success and over 50 people attended. These forums are growing in popularity and we can see how they are positively impacting the community. This is simply an illustration of how our local organization uses the Y on the weekends.

BCC believes re-opening the Y on the weekend is very important for the future of Bronzeville youth. BCC is committed to working to encourage and support this community and we feel strongly that the Y is a major component of the work we continue to do.

Bronzeville Community Cares understands that an under-utilization issue was the main cause of the closing of the Y on the weekend. We would like to offer our support in reaching out to the community to inform new and old residents of the Ys renovations, programs and activities. I am most certain that there are several residents who are not aware of the opportunities available at the Y. As BCC continues to plan monthly events, we would be willing to incorporate occasional Open Houses where residents can attend our monthly event followed by a tour of the facility.

We are hopeful that you are just as concerned about the closing of the Bronzeville YMCA on the weekend as we are. We are very excited about the new happenings in Bronzeville, but are also aware of the need to support those that currently reside in this up-and-coming neighborhood. The re-opening of the Y on weekends will give youth the option to engage in positive activity on the weekend, while also helping to lessen the amount of crime in the District.

With the programs BCC has planned for 2005, we look forward to aggressively moving forward with supporting and encouraging the Bronzeville community to participate and support the Y and are certainly proud for the opportunity. Please join us in our efforts by considering the re-opening of the Bronzeville YMCA on the weekend.