CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte YMCA branch is set to close by the end of the year.
The YMCA of Greater Charlotte shared a news release online Tuesday saying the Johnston YMCA in NoDa was sold to a developer, and that the Y will no longer operate there after the end of 2023.
This was reportedly done after considering the long-term financial needs of the Y, and leaders said the decision "was extremely difficult for us to make, and we know that many community members will share in our disappointment".
The YMCA says the Johnston branch should still operate through the end of 2023, meaning summer programming will not be affected. Leaders will also work with staff members to consider possible open positions within the organization.
The Greater Charlotte YMCA has faced business changes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing branches to figure out how to adapt as memberships were down.
In response to the news, people who attend the YMCA told WCNC Charlotte they are against the closure. For some, the Johnston YMCA holds a lot of memories.
Patty Waldron talked to WCNC Charlotte's Austin Walker. During the interview, she brought a blue jacket.
"I earned [this] when I was a part of the Johnston Memorial Swim Team," Waldron said. "This jacket is 50 years old and it means something to me, which is why it’s in my closet.”
She grew up and trained at the Johnston YMCA. She said she's an example of how much the Y is valued. She turned her sport into a career.
“I have been coaching for 43 years and without my experience there, I am unsure if I’d be in that occupation," Waldron said.
She said since the news, she's holding that jacket a bit tighter.
"It’s a loss for the community, for me it’s memories being erased and for that community, it’s a living breathing thing," Waldron said.
“We’ve been asking for years for information from them about their plans for this space and for the building," Krysten Reillyn President of the NoDa Neighborhood Associated said. "Our thought was that they were going to keep the building or at least aspects of the YMCA, so to hear that they are selling the whole thing and abandoning the neighborhood is a huge shock.”
PODCASTS FROM WCNC CHARLOTTE
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.