What’s the matter jokers, didn’t you (the board) make enough money 
from the sale of the beautiful old McBurney building on 23rd Street? The McBurney Y has a deficit for 2006 and they’re scapegoating the Health & Wellness program and are planning to “restructure.” The fitness program is one of the strongest community-oriented programs remaining intact at the Y after the move from 23rd St. Sure, the people is this program complain a lot because the stereo is always broken, the studio mirrors were never properly installed, the studios aren’t ventilation, and they aren’t sound proof. None of these things were problems on 23rd Street. It’s ironic that the “restructuring” involves firing a senior staff person who was instrumental in placating members and helping the Y move to 14th St. That’s loyalty for you.
In addition, this “restructuring” would also have the effect of causing the defection of more long-term members—you know, the pesky kind who tend to stand up for their rights. If the Health and Wellness program falls, expect further assaults on other programs where a spirit of community still exists.
Of course, this all sounds wildly counterintuitive: why would the Y want to destroy its own community? Well, for whatever reason, the YMCA has, in the last few years, made the decision to abandon it’s mission of community service and enter the “family fitness” field.
Attempting to reason with these bullies has proved difficult if not impossible. In order to counter this move, we need to pressure politicians at all levels to re-examine the YMCA’s tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Y has sold off several other buildings in Manhattan recently. Where’s the money? — DM
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