Efforts to replace YMCA pool slowly gather funds | News, Sports, Jobs

RR Branstrom Daily Press The mechanicals at the Escanaba YMCA swimming pool are showing their age.

ESCANABA — The six-lane indoor pool at the Northern Lights YMCA in Escanaba has been in use for 35 years as of January. That’s five years longer than the average lifespan of a facility like this, which has been forced to close at times. With plans to build a new facility closer to the rest of the Delta Program Center, the NLYMCA is slowly raising funds.

“The new pool will certainly reduce the number of pool closures and provide greater energy efficiency” said NLYMCA Executive Director Jonathan Ringel.

Northern Lights YMCA’s second location, the Dickinson Center in Iron Mountain, replaced its pool in 2019, and Ringel said earlier this year that the change at Iron Mountain is clearly visible — the modern pool is not only easier to maintain, but also much more efficient.

It is clear that a newer, more reliable community pool would be beneficial to Escanaba residents who use the existing facility and lifeguard services. The NLYMCA also operates beaches in the area.

As a global nonprofit organization, the YMCA as a whole has come a long way since its founding in London, England in 1844. Operating in accordance with its mission “to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all” YMCA exists in 120 countries.

According to their website, the Y reaches 10,000 communities in the U.S. with more than 2,560 centers. These numbers indicate that some chapters operate without a designated center, hosting programs in other locations.

But in Delta County, the pool has been a feature around which the community has grown for the past 35 years. After its founding in 1985, a group at NLYMCA partnered with businesses and individuals who donated money to build the aquatics facility, which opened in 1990.

The Escanaba pool is currently used for swim lessons, fitness classes, open water swimming, and private rentals. When issues arise that cause unexpected closures and cancellations, those who count on such programs are left hanging.

“Last week we had to close the pool due to a problem with the expansion tank, which controls the water level in the pool. We had a broken valve and had to replace it.” said Ringel. “As the pool ages and infrastructure fails, we will face the risk of further closures.”

Currently Y is in “quiet phase” fundraisers for the new pool, meaning they are looking to primarily raise larger donations and hope to raise 90% of their goal before construction begins “public phase”. In February, the target was $4.8 million, which is subject to change because costs are always variable. Ringel said in September that they were approaching 50% of the target.

“At this time, we are carefully evaluating additional partnerships and financial support to help us achieve our goal.” said Ringel. “Our goal is to maintain critical access to the community pool so we can continue to provide life-saving aquarium services to the greater Delta community. We believe that access to the pool is essential to the community and the thousands of residents and visitors who use the pool each year to gain life-saving skills and health benefits.”

Anyone interested in supporting the campaign can contact Ringel or Deputy Executive Director Caron Salo at 906-789-0005.