YMCA affirms decision to exit Birmingham

By Grace Lovins

In a letter from Parrish Underwood, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, included in the Monday, April 13, Birmingham City Commission meeting packet, the YMCA reiterated its intent to exit the city as well as its inability to remain at 400 E. Lincoln as an operator of the building’s swimming pool.

The letter, addressed to city manager Jana Ecker, says that YMCA staff has carefully considered the possibility of serving as the pool operator, but was unable to come up with a way they could sustainably deliver the service “in a manner consistent with both [their] mission and [their] organizational standards.”

Earlier this year, commissioners began discussing moving Next senior services into the building at 400 E. Lincoln without the presence of the YMCA. The senior services organization plans to occupy the main level of the building with plans to renovate specific areas for use in the future. Birmingham voters have approved a millage to fund renovations at the Next building which the city purchased with help of contributions from the Next group.

The YMCA moved forward with their plan to relocate from Birmingham to Royal Oak after commissioners decided to pursue renovations to the existing building at 400 E. Lincoln rather than the construction of a new building. Next has been operating out of a school district building but school officials have plans for the structure beginning next year.

Some members of the community have continued lobbying the city to retain the pool so the YMCA was approached to be an operator of the pool.

“While the decision marks the end of our expiration of operating the pool and providing services at 400 E. Lincoln at the end of August, it does not mark the end of our commitment to the Birmingham community. We will continue to explore meaningful ways to serve residents in the future, even as we recognize that our path forward will extend beyond this particular location.” Underwood wrote.