'People are ready to fight back' to keep the YMCA in Pointe-Saint-Charles, parent says

Annabelle Agnew's two childrenpractically grew up at the Pointe-Saint-Charles YMCA, so when she heard that the Y is closingat the end of the year, she knew she was in for an uncomfortable conversation.

"We all had to talk about it at the dinner table lastnight and they had lots of questions." Agnew told CBC News Thursday. "They were both really upset."

Agnew says her whole family uses the Y's services: She goes to bootcamp classes to train for big runs, while her two children go to after-school programs there, where they dotheir homeworkand take part in physical activities.

"My son gets to run around for hours after school, which is something that all children need. I can't provide that service inside my home," Agnew said.

Agnew's13-year-old daughter,participates in a tutoring program at the Y called Pathways,which also offers a bursary to help defray the cost ofpost-secondary education.

Asa working parent, Agnew says she findsthe Y's programsinvaluable, because theyallowher to pick her children after work in a community where alternatives for after-school child-care are scarce.

"It really is an under-served neighbourhood," said Agnew.

Day camps includekids with special needs

Judith Cayer,whose 10-year-old daughter Louveattends a summer day campat the Y, says she also sees few other options for her daughter.

Louve, who has autism and is non-verbal,has been going to the YMCA camp for four years now.

"It's the only camp in the neighbourhood with real expertise in integrating kids with special needs," said Cayer.

"I'm really upset," she said. "I don't know what I'm going to do with her next summer."

Camps that cater to children with special needs are rare in Montreal, Cayer says and many of those that do have prohibitively long waiting lists.

'There's no one sorrier than I am'

"There's no one sorrier than I am," said Stphane Vaillancourt, the president and CEO of the YMCAs of Qubec, on CBC Montreal's DaybreakFriday.

"But we have a responsibility to make sure our YMCA stays in a good financial position, overall."

YMCA programs are funded by memberships, but thePointe-Saint-Charles Y does not getenough revenue from memberships to pay for its programs and thatdeficit that has become too much to bear, said Vaillancourt.

Vaillancourt also blamed the rising cost of maintaining and operating the Y buildings for the decision to shutter three of them. Hesaidrevenues are no match for escalating costs.

The plan is to re-evaluate the programs at Pointe-Saint-Charles, as well as in Hochelaga, and relocate some of them to other spaces in the community.

But Agnew says shecan't imagine that plan working out well for her family.

"There aren't a lot of spaces in Pointe-Saint-Charles that are large enough to provide the services this Y provides," shesaid.

Agnew said scattering the programs in different locations throughout the community would not be a viable solution in the long term, either.

Cayer says she is hoping the community will rally to keepthe YMCA.

"People are ready to fight back to maintain the Y in the neigbourhood," she said.