Spirit of collaboration

Birmingham has long been known for its civic pride and community spirit, for neighbors who show up, volunteer, and work together to make this city an extraordinary place to live. That’s why the recent debate surrounding the future of 400 East Lincoln, the former YMCA building, has felt so disheartening.

Somewhere along the way, the conversation has shifted from collaboration to competition, from “how do we build this together?” to “who wins and who loses?” But anyone who has ever worked in community development knows the truth: when we frame public good as a zero-sum game, everyone loses.

As a resident and someone who has spent a career building partnerships across Michigan, I’ve seen what happens when organizations, nonprofit, municipal and private, move past the turf wars and focus on shared purpose. The best community outcomes come not from one entity “owning” an idea, but from many groups pulling in the same direction. It’s the kind of collaboration that allows limited resources to go further, strengthens local trust, and builds spaces that truly serve the public.

That same spirit is possible here in Birmingham.

The YMCA has been part of this city’s heartbeat for decades. For countless families, the Y wasn’t just where you swam laps or sent your kids to camp, it was where you belonged. The Y offers safe, equitable access to family and fitness programs that enhance quality of life and reflect the very values Birmingham holds dear: inclusion, wellness, and connection. It’s a place that welcomes everyone, where belonging is built through every shared experience.

NEXT, likewise, has become a lifeline for older adults, providing connection, care, and purpose. These two organizations share a mission that’s bigger than either one alone: helping people live healthier, more connected lives.

The future of 400 East Lincoln should reflect that shared mission, not erase it. Whatever path the city commission ultimately takes, it should be one grounded in transparency, creativity, and mutual respect. Because while buildings can be renovated or repurposed, trust, once lost, is far harder to rebuild.

This is our opportunity to model what genuine community leadership looks like: to turn away from blame and instead ask, how can we make this work together? To design a space that doesn’t belong to one group but serves the broader Birmingham community for generations to come.

The YMCA remains committed, as it always has, to being part of the solution, whether through partnership, transition, or shared planning. Because this work isn’t about ownership; it’s about stewardship. It’s about ensuring that every resident, from toddlers learning to swim to seniors finding friendship and fitness, continues to have a place that welcomes them.

Birmingham’s greatest asset has never been its buildings -- it’s been its people. When we collaborate instead of confront, we honor that legacy. Let’s seize this moment not to divide, but to design a future that reflects a Y beyond its walls and who we truly are: a community that comes together.

When we put pride aside and focus on the greater good, we build not just better spaces, but a stronger community.

Andrea LaFontaine

Birmingham

(Andrea LaFontaine is a YMCA board member and Executive Director of the Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance)