BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Birmingham Family YMCA will permanently close at the end of April after 25 years of serving the community, leaving longtime members searching for alternatives.
Watch Jolie Sherman's video report:
The YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit announced the difficult decision to shutter the Birmingham location, saying it was "shaped by rising building maintenance needs and the lasting financial impacts of COVID-19."
Terry Anthony, a 25-year member of the Birmingham Family YMCA, said the facility means more than just fitness to its community.
"This is more than just a gym for us. The members here care about each other. The friendships extend beyond the workout times. My closest friends go here," Anthony said.
Steve Grant has been coming to the YMCA since the mid-1970s and expressed disappointment about losing a cornerstone of his community.
"It's disappointing because not only did I grow up here, but my business is here, so I've been here all my life," Grant said.
The city of Birmingham purchased the building in 2023. The YMCA could no longer afford stay, but the deal gave the Y three years to remain as a tenant.
Birmingham City Commissioner Brad Host said at the time of the sale, the city also entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NEXT, a senior nonprofit organization, giving them 75% of the YMCA space.
The YMCA explored developing a new shared facility with the city and NEXT, but could only offer to cover operational costs, not capital improvements.
"Since the YMCA had no money to contribute to the capital improvements necessary, the city would have borne the full burden of capital costs. The commission ultimately decided that we could not afford to do that," Birmingham Mayor Clinton Baller said in a statement.
Programs and services will continue as scheduled through March 31. The pool and wellness center will remain open through April, and the facility will close permanently on April 30. The YMCA will still hold summer day camp this year.
Baller emphasized that the city is not evicting the YMCA, noting that the Y chose to close the location given the financial circumstances.
Claire Dion, a newer member from Southfield, said the closure hits particularly hard for those who recently discovered the community.
"It was really tough news to hear, especially because I'm a new member. I fell in love with the gym and the community really quickly, really fast," Dion said.
For longtime members like Anthony, the closure represents the loss of something irreplaceable.
"We're all heartbroken. It seemed like a long way off, and now that it's coming up, it makes it even worse. We feel a bit powerless, and we don't really have a way forward," Anthony said.
————————————————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
