November Fostering Connections
I have great memories of YMCA groundbreakings.
One of my earliest was at the Kerr Family YMCA. It was the middle of summer, well over 100 degrees, and the CEO, board chair and local dignitaries were all standing outside in coats and ties, sweating profusely. I was a program director at the time, happily wearing shorts and a Y shirt, handing out lemonade to anyone who looked like they might melt before the ceremony was over.
A few years later, I watched one of the most remarkable construction projects I've ever seen unfold at the old Central YMCA on Hillsborough Street. To build what is now the Alexander Family YMCA, we literally cut the building in half. Members continued using one side while construction took place on the other. Then, once the new section was complete, we moved everyone over and demolished the remaining half of the old facility.
At one point during construction, a massive rainstorm soaked the group fitness room floor. The wood swelled so much it looked like a series of speed bumps. Thankfully, some very large fans and a lot of patience saved the day, and classes were back in session the following week.
More recently, in March 2025, I found myself on the other side of the experience. This time, I was the one standing under a tent in a coat and tie, celebrating the opening of the Chatham Park YMCA. It was a proud day for our YMCA and for the Pittsboro community.
Not long ago, I watched one of our Annual Campaign videos featuring Trey and his son, Kaden. After losing Kaden's mother to breast cancer, they found community, connection and healing at the Chatham Park YMCA. When Kaden described the Y as "a safe place for me and my dad," it was a powerful reminder of why we do this work.
We don't build facilities simply to become a larger organization.
We build Ys because growing communities need places where people can belong. We build Ys so children can gain confidence, families can spend time together, older adults can stay active and healthy and neighbors can find connection and support. We build them for families like Trey and Kaden's, and for families like yours and mine.
That's why I'm excited to share another important milestone in the journey toward a new Downtown Durham YMCA.
Last week, our Board of Directors approved the project's land purchase, construction plans and financing package, completing another key step in bringing this vision to life.
While there's still plenty of work ahead, including final design work, permitting and construction, the momentum continues to build. Each step brings us closer to creating a vibrant new YMCA that will serve Downtown Durham for generations to come.
Yes, it will be a fantastic facility: bright, welcoming and built for the future. But more than that, it will allow us to grow in service to people who want to get healthier, children and teens who need to become resilient, and for those who feel alone.
So whenever the groundbreaking day arrives in 2027, whether it's 70 degrees or 100 degrees, you can bet I'll be there. And when the doors open in 2029, I'll be there again, celebrating not just a new building, but all of the lives that will be changed because of what happens inside it.
Exciting things are ahead.
