The YMCA of Niagara is pleased to announce that the organization received a $498,000 Community Building Fund – Capital stream grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in December of last year. This support will extend the life and maximize the use of the YMCA’s existing facilities for everyone in the community.

“I’m very pleased to hear that YMCA of Niagara has received this sizeable grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation,” said Jeff Burch, MPP for Niagara Centre. “This money allows the Y to extend the life of its community hubs in Welland, Port Colborne and Niagara West by making the flooring safer and more versatile. Also, inclusivity will be improved via automatic door openers.”

This grant supported necessary facility improvements, from flooring to walkways and entrances, to enhance accessibility at the YMCA’s Health, Fitness and Aquatics Centres. These fresh updates will extend the life and maximize the use of YMCA’s Niagara branches. The OTF grant also allowed the YMCA to retrofit its doors with automatic functions to ensure that all members, especially those with mobility challenges and visual impairments, can safely access all programs and fitness areas in the building.

“We are grateful to the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for recognizing the impact that COVID-19 has had on the non-profit sector,” says Christian Wulff, Interim CEO, YMCA of Niagara. “With their help, we were able to afford to upgrade our YMCA branches to ensure that our facility is up-to-date and accessible for all members.”

To learn more about your YMCA of Niagara, visit our website. To help the YMCA reach their annual fundraising goal please donate here or contact Morena Bertholds, Manager of Development, at morena.bertholds@niagara.ymca.ca.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grantmaking in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.