Plans for the renovations to the Metro Central YMCA-YWCA on Argyle Street have been delayed when it became clear that the cost and extent to the renovation were greater than originally planned, Y officials say.
The plans, originally expected in May, have been delayed and returned to the architect, says Holly Wagg, senior manager of marketing and communications for the Y.
She was unable to say when the new plans were expected.
These renovations will be funded alongside projects for the Orleans location and Y camps, under the Capital Campaign, launched this past May.
Of the target goal of $35 million, the Argyle Metro Central location will likely receive around $22 million.
Some of the money will go to refurbishing the Shenkman Residence, a temporary, low-income and emergency residence directly attached to the Y, says Tony Pacheco, president and CEO of the National Capital Region Y.
“It’s been a long time since we invested in that property,” says Pacheco. “We know we need to bring [it] up to standard.”
The building is in need of some finishing touches like upgrades to the heating and cooling systems, fresh coat of paint and new furniture and appliances, says Pacheco.
Currently 9,500 households are on a waitlist for low-income housing, and nearly 9,000 people used emergency shelters in Ottawa last year.
Trudy Sutton, executive director of Housing Help, a housing information and assistance agency, says that older low-income homes often have issues around the upkeep and maintenance of the residence.
“It’s pretty well impossible [to get money for low-income housing],” she says. As a result, upkeeping, or outright renovating, of older homes is very difficult.
Eileen Dooley, vice-president of the United Way community services, says that offering quality low-income housing with access to support services, which the Y does, is the most important step towards ending the dependency on emergency shelters.
This is why funding to projects like the Y is important.
“Any renovations to this building will hugely improve the quality of living for the residents,” says Wagg, adding that upgrades to the fitness centre will also improve standards for gym users.
Sevag Markassarian has lived at the Shenkman Residence for two years and says that the heating and cooling systems are most in need of an overhaul.
“Sure they heat and cool,” says Markassarian, “but I had to use trial and error to find a comfy temperature.”
He welcomes any changes to the Y, noting that “it’ll make the environment much more pleasant.”
But renovations won’t begin until the campaign reaches 70 per cent of the fundraising target of $35 million, which Pacheco says he expects to happen within the next five years.
“The Y has been in the community since 1867. [And] the community has been very good to the Y,” he says, adding that it’s only natural the YMCA gives back to the community.