Downey YMCA envisions new, smaller facility
Officials hope to demolish and rebuild the Downey YMCA at its current site. (Photo by Alex Dominguez)
DOWNEY – “So many things that make Downey special,” said Steve Roberson, “we have our own police department, our own fire department, an independent school district, the DUSD. But what sets us apart is, we have our own Downey Family YMCA.”
Steve, best known as former broker/owner of Century 21 My Real Estate Company, gave an update on the Y’s plans.to the Downey Coordinating Council last week. Steve has been involved with the Y since 1986, when Phil Presicci, who also started Downey’s Gangs Out of Downey program, invited him to join the Y’s Board of Managers.
“Downey has always been my town,” said Steve.
“We were giving a pool party for my granddaughter Madi’s Ponytail Softball team,” Steve said, “and I realized some of the girls were sitting on the side and not going in. They didn’t know how to swim. I knew the Y gave lessons, and that’s how the girls could learn to be safe and comfortable in the water with their friends.” The Y is famous as a pioneer in building aquatic skills.
The Downey Y, a fixture on Downey Avenue since 1962, has been closed since 2020, when Covid restrictions started. Even then the Board was facing a decision about its future. Should they build a new facility, or spend millions to renovate the old one? It wasn’t ADA compliant and needed an elevator.
“It’s an old building,” Steve said, “constructed sixty years ago. We’ve been putting on band-aids, but we were in the process of deciding to build a new one instead.”
Space is scarce and expensive in Downey. The Y’s Board of Managers liked the idea of building on two acres that were part of the Sussman Middle School campus, and the school board was enthusiastic about the partnership. But then problems arose.
LA Metro, the umbrella organization that coordinates and oversees Y’s in the United States, wanted to own the land, and the school district was offering a lease. Building costs were found to run approximately 30-40% higher because of more stringent regulations on buildings on school property.
The present big white structure on Downey Avenue is approximately 65,000 square feet,
putting it in the category of a “big” Y. But the thinking at Metro nowdays is for Y’s to be smaller, with lower maintenance costs to suit today’s energy-saving mood. The maintenance on a 65,000 square foot building is very high: it’s less expensive to maintain the smaller building. And a 30,000 square foot building would be more suitable to the needs of the Downey community now, with more flexible spaces and larger spaces that can be used for different things.
A Y isn’t just another 24-hour fitness center. Y’s have state-of-the-art equipment, world-class pools, and programming for every age. But the Y also supports the community through food distribution centers, teen scholarships, and equity & justice initiatives. It strengthens the foundation of community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
The name isn’t Young Men’s Christian Association anymore. In 1844, the first Y was established in London to answer a pressing need: country boys coming to London to look for jobs needed a cheap and safe place to lodge in the big city till they could support themselves. Over the years the Y has evolved with the needs of the times.
Today the Family Y serves women and children too, and a senior population. It’s the Family Y, emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles for kids and families, with special programs for today’s growing population of seniors too. Moms can exercise while their kids are cared for.
With this in mind, the Board of Managers decided that renovating a 60,000 square foot building wasn’t the way to go. So the decision was made to keep the present location and downsize, building a new 30,000 square foot facility.
The new plan envisions two pools, a laps pool for teaching swimming classes, and a full size one for activities like senior water aerobics. There will be an outdoor basketball court on top. Inside will be classrooms for dance and yoga and child care.
“The fitness-type programs will be very similar to what we had at the old Y,” said Steve.
“There will be modern stationary bikes, treadmills, universal weight machines and stationary weights. I don't believe we will discontinue any programs. It will be very similar to what we did in the past. We should still have child care and hopefully areas for teens to study and do homework. We do want to put emphasis on children and seniors.
“Parking will be a challenge, said Steve. “It has always been a challenge. We’ll relocate the parking lot to the northwest corner of Downey Avenue and Arnett. Some creative solutions are being floated, like free valet parking with membership. That has worked for some Y’s.”
The timetable involves selling the present parking lot, an attractive large parcel, and some of the surrounding houses and buildings the Y owns, and designing a smaller building.
The YMCA’s Board of Managers plans to launch a capital campaign to raise the balance with the support of the community. Several large pledges have already been obtained. Construction will take another estimated two years.
“We can’t go back to where we were,” said Steve. “We had about 1,400 members before. We can double that. People like the Y. They like the Y’s atmosphere.”