The Greensburg YMCA is hosting an Open House Saturday, June 8 at 10am to highlight the renovation plans for the 115 year old building. The annual Kinderhook Mile will begin at 9am before the open house.
In 1890 the Greensburg YMCA became an incorporated non-profit organization by the state of Pennsylvania. Mr. David Shaw Atkinson set up the rules and design for the construction of their existing building on the corner of Maple and Pittsburgh Street around 1908. The dream of the present YMCA building became a reality in 1913 and was constructed for approximately $95,000. A lot of changes have taken place since then and all have met the needs of our society at given points in time. The mission of the YMCA can’t continue without the venue, currently it is a dated and insufficient space to serve the community.
“I want to remind our community that the Y is so much more than a ‘gym and swim’, a ‘childcare facility’, ‘fitness facility’, and/or “the old building downtown,'” said George O’Brien, Greensburg YMCA CEO. “Yes, we do all of those things but we also do so much more and are a non-profit here in our community to serve. We are blessed to have the building we have and although we are much more than just the ‘old building’ downtown we do have an immediate and critical need to renovate and reutilize our building to ensure we can continue to serve our community and our Mission.”
During the open house, members of the community will be able to tour the facility and learn about the three phases of renovation plans for the 72,000 sqft building. The YMCA has worked with architects and engineering firms for the locker rooms, lobby, and exercise area renovations.
“We have been planning this project for a number of years along with the $1.5 million in renovations we have already completed over the last five years,” said George O’Brien, Greensburg YMCA CEO. “Those prior renovations were accomplished with the support of our local foundations, special events, and operations over a long period of time. For this major project to be successful we will need the help of the entire community not only via contributions but also with supporting the Y through volunteering as a campaigner in our comprehensive campaign. The comprehensive campaign will include raising capital campaign funds for this project, annual support campaign funds which are used to provide financial assistance for children whom can’t afford our programs but need them, and our Heritage Foundation which allows individuals the ability to contribute to the long term fiscal health of our Y through planned giving.”
Phase 1 of the renovations will be the female locker room that includes an expansion, a new private locker area, a sauna, in a neutral pallet with pops of color as accents on the walls and furniture. Phase 2 is the renovation of the men’s locker room and lobby. They are planning to open up the whole lobby and to replace the 115 year old windows in the front of the building. There will be areas rooms in the front that will allow cardio fanatics to see the city of Greensburg from the new big beautiful windows. The front desk will be moved up about 6 feet closer to the entrance and new turnstiles will be installed for an easier flow of membership traffic. Also, in effort to connect more with new members, there will be a new member engagement room. The weight room and Cybex machines will be moved to current cardio spaces and the child watch/babysitting area will be relocated and enlarged. With double the size, an indoor play structure, and free babysitting, children can have fun and play while their parents break a sweat. There will also be a new teen center for homework and games and a new community room for meetings and parties. In the gymnasium floors will be installed in addition to new storage spaces and 3 additional bathrooms. One of the biggest improvements will be the new group exercise studio which will be above the current weight room. These changes are expected to lead to membership growth and community wellness. There isn’t a set time line for completion but the demolition for phase 1 has already begun.
The Kinderhook Mile, which returned last year after a 15 year hiatus will kickoff of the days activities at 9am. This one-mile race (run or walk) is a venture through Greensburg, starting at the intersection of N. Maple Ave and Sycamore St. Racers from ages 1-90 will pass by Greensburg Salem Middle School and the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, just before hitting the hill that leads to St. Clair Park, leading to the finish line at S. Maple Ave and 4th St. Runners will be timed by Gingerbread Man Running Co. and the top 3 male and female racers of each age group will be awarded a medal. There will be a free abbreviated race for children after the official race and you can sign up using that same link titled “UNDER 12 FUN RUN”. The Kinderhook Mile is also pet friendly this year thanks to Petagogy, a local pet store, who is sponsoring the race, so please bring your furry friend!
Registration fee is $25 from now to June 7th and $30 on the race day. If you gather your family or friends as a team for the run, (minimum of 5 people) each person pays $15. If you have not registered yet, you are encouraged to do so soon. There will be a shirt order after the race for anyone who registers later and those orders can be picked up at a later date. Register for the Kinderhook Mile
The Les Mills Launch Party will take place after the race and in the Gymnasium and Parking Lot. The schedule for each class is as follows:
- 10:20 am BodyPUMP or BodyCOMBAT
- 10:55 am BodyFLOW or GRIT
- 11:30 am GRIT or BodyCOMBAT
- 12:05 pm CX or GRIT
Come on out Saturday June 8th from 9 AM – 12 PM for the Kinderhook Mile Race, the Greensburg YMCA Open House, the Les Mills Launch Party, and food vendors serving delicious treats! Don’t forget that this event is dog friendly and to bring the whole family!