The downtown Mobile YMCA is planning to close it's doors for good. It's a decision that had to be made, according to the South Alabama YMCA CEO Sue Sanders.
This news has some people wondering if the YMCA did everything they could to keep their doors open.
"We have been struggling ever since we closed our branches on March the 16th of 2020," Sanders said.
Since then, 116 YMCA locations have closed across the country. Next, is the Moorer location on Water Street in downtown Mobile. Sanders said there was no way to cover, and they tried.
"We looked into another location in downtown Mobile, when we ran the numbers on it we were getting back into a deeper financial constraint then what we're already in," Sanders added.
But some say there was more the YMCA could have done. Former member Jeremy Jones used to come to the downtown YMCA and said he was informed about the closure through a letter.
"We were told in the letter, that they were closing it because it only had a 100 people roughly a day, and that the hours have been so reduced that a 100 people, that number actually surprised me," Jones said.
The downtown location has about 435 members. The CEO said they made many changes to try and rebound from the pandemic's impact.
"Reduction of staff, reduction of operating hours, reduction of some of the services we had in some of the facilities," Sanders said,
"I just don't think it's enough when they never attempted, after the pandemic to try to bring back the evening crowd back," Jones said.
Jones said the hours at the downtown location were so limited.
"When they first opened up at the pandemic, they were only open from 10 to 2," he added.
Then Jones said they increased their hours from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., but it wasn't enough. Now, members will have to say goodbye to the downtown YMCA.
"This has been a very, testing, trying decision that unfortunately the board of directors have had to navigate through for two and a half years," Sanders said.
The Moorer YMCA will officially close on June 30.
Statement from the South Alabama YMCA Board of Directors:
The Board of Directors of the YMCA of South Alabama voted today to close the facility located at 101 North Water Street in Mobile. This was a very difficult decision for the board because most of them are members and realize the Y has been part of the city for more than 130 years. However, from a business standpoint, it is a fiscal decision that had to be made. An extensive review of the YMCA’s operations and finances was conducted in the hope of finding an alternative to closing. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, no alternatives proved feasible. The Y simply does not have the financial resources needed to continue to operate the downtown location. There are approximately 435 members at the Moorer YMCA, and we hope they choose to participate in the North Mobile Family YMCA in Saraland. Other fitness providers are in the area as well, so members can continue their wellness programs. We are deeply saddened by the impact this decision will have on our wonderful staff. The Moorer YMCA’s last day of operation will be June 30, 2022. Closing this facility does not mean the Y is abandoning the community. The Hearin-Chandler Youth Development Center continues to provide needed services, and the Bounds YMCA in Daphne, North Mobile Family YMCA in Saraland and John McClure Snook YMCA in Foley are unaffected.