YMCA Hits Half-Century Mark in Grand Style
athletics, children, recreation, tyler, ymca,
With some new carpet here, a touch of paint there and a gala, the Tyler Area YMCA celebrated its golden anniversary in grand fashion throughout 2008.
The gala, which took place in December 2008, honored the YMCA’s founders and other major players from its early days up to the present. And over at the building itself, everything from minor touch-ups to a full-scale renovation of the fitness area and wellness center took place, says Stuart Gilpin, chief executive officer.
“We added new mirrors and put down the type of flooring that they use at the Olympics,” Gilpin says. “We also created a family room and are going to be doing more renovations as we get grants and other funds for work on the facility.”
The 2,500-member YMCA also is hoping to add a climbing wall in one of two racquetball spaces that’s underused.
“We want to introduce wall climbing here,” Gilpin says. “It’s something that no one else in town offers, and we think it would be really good for our youth members and others who want a new way to stay active.”
Also on tap is a new facility that will open in Wills Point, which will augment the Tyler and Whitehouse locations. For Gilpin, who has been with the Y for three years, the renovations and expansions are proof that not only does the community love its YMCA, but that it’s willing to support it.
“Our membership is increasing every day as people come back, and new people join,” he says. “They see that we’re really moving on things here, that we’re doing what we’re meant to be doing, and they get excited. We really get quite a bit of support from the community, and that helps us focus on their needs, and give them what they want in each facility. We really want to keep that community focus going forward even as we expand more into the region.”
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Antony Boshier
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