South Toledo YMCA to be razed; membership drive unsuccessful
6/25/2010The YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo board of trustees voted unanimously to demolish the 55-year-old South Toledo YMCA, the organization announced Friday.
The Woodsdale Park Drive building was closed in December after years of losing money on its operations.
"The decision was based on the prohibitive cost factors in maintaining the vacant building," said a statement from the YMCA Friday. "The YMCA and the city of Toledo are exploring possibilities of eventually making the green space part of the existing Woodsdale Park."
The closure followed a failed last-ditch membership drive. YMCA officials cited a long-running money-loss at the facility as they announced the closure.
The campaign aimed to sell 376 new South Y-only memberships from late September to Dec. 12, but sold only the equivalent of 118.
The YMCA said the branch was losing $5,000 a week, a rate on pace for an annual $260,000 loss.
The branch reported 957 members before the campaign, with 175 receiving some financial assistance. Officials said it required 1,500 to 1,600 members for a branch to be profitable.