SARASOTA, Fla. — Two YMCA gym and fitness facility branches are set to be shut down in September.
YMCA says the branches are shutting down due to declining membership and program participation.
The Evalyn Sadlier Jones Branch at Potter Park Drive and the Frank G. Berlin Sr. Branch on South Euclid Avenue will be shut down at 5 p.m. on Sept. 13.
The YMCA will continue its foster care and social service program which it says serves people who are abused, neglected, homeless and at-risk.
A YMCA spokesperson says members will have access to both fitness centers through the 5 p.m. shut down on Sept. 13. The last payment draft will be issued on August 15, and members who have paid for a full year annual membership fee will be given a pro-rated refund. Program and sports activities after the closure will also be given a pro-rated refund.
Before and after school programs will be offered at Southside, Gocio, and Fruitville elementary schools.
"This is not the outcome we wanted. Our hearts go out to everyone in the extended Sarasota YMCA family affected by this," said Sarasota YMCA Vice President Steve Bourne. "The YMCA exists to serve the needs of the community, and it will continue that mission through our foster care and social services programs."
The full letter provided by Bourne is below:
"It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that the two Sarasota Family YMCA fitness centers will close permanently on Friday, September 13, 2019 at 5 p.m. These fitness centers are the Evalyn Sadlier Jones Branch at Potter Park Drive and the Frank G. Berlin Sr. Branch on South Euclid Avenue.
Despite best efforts that were made to try to stabilize the operations of those fitness centers, they have operated at a financial loss for the past several years and the YMCA can no longer sustain them. With the closing of these fitness centers, the YMCA Board will be turning 100% of its focus to operating the YMCA’s ongoing foster care and social services programs that have served vulnerable populations in this community for many decades, including abused, neglected and at-risk children. The YMCA’s mission has always been to meet community needs, and in continuing to operate these important foster care and social service programs this mission of the YMCA will continue to be fulfilled.
YMCA leaders and board members considered closure of the fitness centers as the last possible alternative. This decision was finally made after substantial cost-cutting, changes to pricing, modifications of program offerings, and other actions failed to make a measurable improvement. We reached out to the national YMCA organization and other Florida YMCA’s in an effort to merge the Sarasota fitness centers into other YMCA’s, without success. We also spoke with important funders in the community seeking financial support but those efforts were not fruitful.
This is not the outcome we wanted. Our hearts go out to everyone in the extended Sarasota YMCA family affected by this. The YMCA exists to serve the needs of the community and it will continue that mission through our foster care and social services programs.
Please reach out to managers and administrators with any questions you have. We will do all we can to provide answers and support during this process."
