By Sam Borsato - @BorsatoSam on Twitter

$40,000 grant to help the YMCA with much needed renovations

Nov 25, 2016 | 10:39 AM

LETHBRIDGE – The Lethbridge YMCA will start moving ahead with some renovations after receiving a Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) grant from the province Friday (Nov. 25) morning.
 
Lethbridge West MLA Shannon Phillips was on-hand to deliver the $40,000 cheque, and tour the four racquet ball courts that will be refurbished.
 
Jennifer Petracek-Kolb, Lethbridge YMCA CEO, says one will be transformed into an indoor playground, another into an adult fitness space and the remaining two will receive upgrades, but remain as racquet ball courts.
 
“The court areas are still in use right now, but they haven’t been significantly upgraded for several years. They’re in a state of real disrepair, and we know that it’s becoming unpleasant to use,” she explained.
 
“So, we need to do something so that people can come in and enjoy themselves, play sports, keep active, keep healthy and keep engaged in community.”
 
Phillips added that the YMCA is a critical place for people, including her own family, to access affordable community programming, and it’s important for the provincial government to support them.
 
“Of course we’ve had lots of challenges with the drop in the price of oil, but we made the decision that we were going to keep investing in families, and making sure that services were there for people both young and old.”
 
Around 3000 people are members at the local YMCA. CFEP grants are given to between 500 and 600 non-profit and voluntary projects across Alberta every year.