The Butler YMCA has gotten a facelift.
Vice President of Organizational Advancement Sandy Ihlenfeld said the main objective of the 10,000-square-foot ground-floor renovation was to create a sense of openness.
The reno created a lobby, a new program space to hold senior classes on the first floor, a new meeting space and a youth center. The renovation also allowed for an even greater emphasis on security creating a one-point access.
“You have to go through a membership service desk before entering any part of the facility,” Ihlenfeld said. “Every person is checked against either a membership card or Megan’s Law to ensure that there is no background that would put anyone else at risk.”
Ihlenfeld says the new program space will allow for senior classes to be held on the first floor. They were taking place on the third floor with no elevator access, making it difficult for some to get to.
The $700,000 project was paid for by two donations.
The Butler YMCA has been around for 130 years. This building was built in 1960. According to Ihlenfeld, the last renovation was done in 1999 when a new wellness center was built.
The new lobby of the Butler YMCA.
