Community Group Fights to Keep Durham YMCA
YMCA officials want to close the Lakewood center, but members of the community are fighting to keep it open.
Posted — UpdatedIn May, YMCA officials announced plans to close their facility in the Lakewood neighborhood of Durham, saying the center is losing $400,000 every year. Officials said that even though it holds 1,000 memberships, fewer than half of its members attend regularly.
News of its proposed closure rallied some members in the community to action.
"I think everyone panicked," said Frances Kerr, of the Save Y Group.
The group will offer up a financial plan Thursday in hopes of saving the Lakewood YMCA.
"The financial concern is a great one, and it may be that we can't overcome it," Kerr said.
"If they come up with a great alternative, we certainly want to hear it," said Jennifer Nelson of YMCA.
Another YMCA is located two miles from the Lakewood center. However, residents said the Lakewood YMCA has been a fixture in the community since 1966, and they do not want to see the center go away.
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