New downtown Hamilton YMCA | ? | ? | Proposed
 

YMCA seeks to replace downtown Hamilton building at end of ‘life cycle’

Don Mitchell - Global News | January 17, 2024

The president and CEO of the local YMCA says it’s seeking to replace a 100-year-old downtown Hamilton, Ont. building insisting it has reached the end of its ‘life cycle.’

As part of a five-year strategic plan, Manny Figueiredo says the James Street North and Jackson Street structure with it’s 174-bed men’s residence, health and fitness branches will have to be replaced due to inadequacies related to services.

“So we’re looking at exploring possibilities of a new downtown Y, and looking at for what will we do with the men’s residence (and) where the health and fitness component will be,” he said.

At the very least agency is seeking a new building that potentially could be housed on the current site should a new location not be identified, according to Figueiredo.

"The agency’s timeline for the replacement of the James Street site is within 5 to 7 years."

https://globalnews.ca/news/10233161/...lton-building/

YES! Such an eyesore of a building inside and outside.

indeed, especially right next to Hunter GO. improving the James and Hughson street frontages would go a long way to making a more welcoming entrance to the city.

It will most likely be 10 years before we see anything new built there. Unless someone with deep pockets comes and funds a new building for the Y and sees it built quicker!

Maybe look at the former GoodLife Fitness at Jackson Square. Probably too small but you could also build up on the property.

What do you wanna bet the buildings all them being redeveloped and thus "higher quality" people living right next door spurred this decision.. no longer have to accept the riffraff, oh look, people with more money... better update the building now that we look bad in comparison..

at least this form of gentrification is positive - forces other people to pull up their socks. Not that it was ever about the people, it's always about the money. .but still.

Surely someone (with deep pockets), would be happy to lease to the Y a whack of purpose built space in exchange for the building and lands on James S. (oh as long as it is not Stinson and his downtown warehouse)

This should be a dedicated thread!

Now we just need the YWCA to also be demolished and that part of the city will finally be normal...

Lol didn't they just rebuild that one? Out of commie block lego slabs no less lol..

Love the fact the YWCA has places for trees to be planted, but no trees have ever been planted. Every new build is just sterile.

The issue I have with the YWCA is that they take no responsibility for the condition in front of their building. Every night it is a dystopian nightmare, and they refuse to do anything about it. It's unacceptable.

The front of their building is a public street. Exactly what could they do. It's up to the city and police to clean up the streets not a private charity.

They shouldn't be creating conditions that promote camping/drug use/crime in front of their building. This is an easily solvable problem, by better managing the operation of the shelter. Yes I agree this is partly on the city and police, but the YWCA could do a lot to help, but they simply refuse.

Again what could they possibly do. They have no control over public streets and spaces. Besides that what does this have to do with the YMCA that is the topic of this thread. Two totally different organizations.

I don't think there's anything they can do either - their responsibility begins and ends at their front door. And the organization's resources are probably very limited.

Hopefully this thread doesn't turn into another debate about social services/supports vs. "cleaning up" downtown of homelessness and drug use.

Youth in asia? :P