Why the New Rochelle 'Y' needs saving

The clock is ticking on the New Rochelle YMCA. Time is running out on a local institution that has served the Queen City since 1899.

You may have heard about this. The roof over the Y pool is in such awful shape that it is about to fall down.

As a result, the pool on Weyman Avenue has been closed since November. That means there have been no swim classes for children and no aquatic exercises for seniors — many of whom do not have the financial means to pay pricey membership fees at health clubs.

This is a community crisis, pure and simple.

Westchester County Legislator Jim Maisano, whose district covers New Rochelle, put the Y's importance in perspective.

"For nine months out of the year, it is the only place to swim in town," Maisano said. "And this is the second biggest city in the county."

It will cost $1.4 million to fix the roof, but the idea is to borrow a $1 million of that and pay off the balance with $400,000 in cash. Toward that goal, the Y has raised $215,000, which means $185,000 is still needed in donations.

A fundraiser dinner is being held Thursday, co-chaired by Maisano, a Republican, and County Clerk Tim Idoni, a Democrat who was mayor of New Rochelle from 1991 to 2006.

Swimming isn't merely good exercise, it is an essential life skill. On average, 10 people die each day from unintentional drowning, and of these victims two are children age 14 or younger, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

There are many ways to guard against drowning, but the most obvious is learning how to swim.

Julie Gallanty, the New Rochelle Y's executive director, said that 1,300 people signed up for swim lessons last year alone. Many of them, she said, were adults who wanted to overcome their fear of water.

Gallanty said the Y is part of the "fabric" of New Rochelle, an appraisal that is confirmed by Adrienne Finlay and Beryl Dorsett. They are among 40 senior citizens who participated in daily "aquacize" classes, which promote fitness and mobility. Ultimately, it's aimed at fostering a better quality of life for the aging.

"I find it therapeutic," the 76-year-old Dorsett said. "Not only is it therapeutic, we meet the nicest people here. Since I've retired, I've said my cadre of friends all come to the YMCA—all different ethnic groups, all different ages. It's just a wonderful place to come, and I come here every single day and sometimes on a Sunday."

Without the pool, the seniors have been offered alternative exercise classes that approximate the routines they were doing in the water. Finlay, 74, said she suffers from arthritis and after several surgeries feels "stiff as a board," and so has taken advantage of the so-called "land" classes.

"But I prefer the pool," she said.

Maisano's involvement in the YMCA's fundraising effort goes beyond expedient politics. The New Rochelle Y has been part of his life.

When he was 8 years old, he learned to swim at the Y when it was located across town on Memorial Highway. For two years he was a member of the swim team. At age 15, he got his lifeguard certification at the Y.

"I got my first job ever from that lifeguard class," he said. "It was very cool. All the kids that took the class at the New Rochelle Y got jobs at the New Rochelle Parks and Rec."

The pool is a major source of revenue. If it isn't saved, the very existence of the Y and all of its programs will be in jeopardy, according to Maisano and others.

But Gallanty, for one, is confident that money will be found.

"We have so much support," she said. "So many people have had transformational experiences and really have been changed by participating in Y programs—whether it's learning how to swim or playing basketball or coming to camp or after school.

"I do believe that people will continue to step up and make donations."

Dorsett said if she has any say in the matter, the Y will not close.

"We're not going to let it close," she declared. "We are volunteers and we are putting all our energy into calling people and asking people to please support us.

"It's not only for the seniors. We have so many children who come here. Where will these kids go?"

HOW TO DONATE:

Thursday's event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the YMCA building, 50 Weyman Ave. Donations are tax deductible. The cost is $75 per ticket and can be purchased at https://newrochelleymca.eventbrite.com. You can also register online at www.nrymca.org. Other ways to donate can be found at wwww.nrymca.org/lifesaver. Sponsorships ($250, $500 and $750) are also available.

Email: preisman@lohud.com

Twitter: @philreisman