Bucyrus YMCA hosts open house to mark its 120th anniversary
BUCYRUS — Bucyrus resident Jackie Wingert was one of many area residents who came to the Bucyrus YMCA on Saturday for an open house that was held in celebration of the organization’s 120th anniversary.
“The YMCA offers many things for all ages. It is a great opportunity for people in the community,” said Wingert as she enjoyed refreshments with her friends, Barb Rice and Maxine Brown.
Brown teaches an arthritis swimming class in the revamped pool at the YMCA each week while Rice joined the Silver Sneakers group to get to know people after moving to Bucyrus in 2019.
“It’s a great way to meet people. I take the Silver Sneaker chair classes,” said Rice.
All three women agreed they are impressed with the new interactive ball and golf simulators that were installed at the YMCA.
Six-year-old Gracie Brunson and her dad, Darick, headed straight to the ball simulator while they waited for Gracie’s soccer game to begin.
“It’s really a lot of fun. It’s like popping balloons,” said Darick Brunson.
Crawford County Commissioner Larry Schmidt also thinks the interactive ball simulator is a great addition to the YMCA.
“The YMCA and all that it has to offer is great for local families. Children can burn off energy during the winter. It’s a really great, family-oriented place in our community and I wanted to come out to support it,” said Schmidt.
The YMCA began as the Bucyrus Young Men’s Christian Organization in 1903.
It was originally located in a house donated by Susan B. Kearsley. After several additions, including bowling alleys and a gymnasium, several fires broke out with the last one occurring in 1941 due to a faulty chimney. A donation of $22,000 was provided by John Q. Shunk and, along with insurance funds, a new building was constructed on East Mansfield Street.
The building included rooms for Boy and Girl Scouts as well as meeting rooms, an auditorium, a gym with maple flooring, a shower room with lockers, a dining room and kitchen area, an exercise room, and even a fireproof boiler room. More than 3,000 people toured the building during an open house that was held when the building opened. It is now home to the Sk8 Factory Skating Rink.
An endowment fund was started by the directors of the YMCA in 1941 which eventually led to the construction of a new building that is still in use today on East Southern Avenue. A capital campaign with the goal of $1.6 million was conducted in the 1970s for the construction of the building that opened on Dec. 17, 1977.
Another capital campaign was conducted recently to add the interactive ball and golf simulators to the YMCA as well as a sauna room and a new floor for the racquetball area.
“We now have a larger workout area that is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week for members,” said Nikki Brooks, membership and youth sports coordinator for the YMCA.
She said that the showers in the women’s locker room have been renovated and new lockers have been installed as part of the capital campaign.
The current capital campaign has a goal of $1.67 million and includes the pool renovations, an improved day care space and general facility upgrades.
The YMCA is open 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. The facility is closed on Sundays.
For more information, call the Bucyrus YMCA at 419-562-6218, visit the website at bucyrustiffinymca.org or visit the facility at 1655 E. Southern Ave. in Bucyrus.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus YMCA celebrates 120 years
