The Gateway Region YMCA celebrated the newly renovated Emerson YMCA in North St. Louis County with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning. Thanks to the generous support of Emerson, the global technology and industrial software company headquartered in North County, the $1.5 million in renovations includes expanded health and wellness services, a modernized community kitchen, updated child watch and kid’s adventure area, a new lobby and accessible front entrance, and a new family changing room.
“The upgrades we’ve made to the Emerson Y as a result of this generous donation will help address critical needs and challenges in Ferguson,” said Tim Helm, president and CEO of the Gateway Region YMCA. “We are so grateful for Emerson’s support to enhance our ability to provide essential programs and services that will help strengthen North County.”
“We at Emerson are proud to partner with the Gateway Region YMCA to provide renovations and expanded health and wellness services at this YMCA facility,” said Fred Perreand, vice president of Emerson’s global supply chain operations and a member of the Gateway Region YMCA board of directors. “This investment is part of our commitment to partner with the Gateway Region YMCA and other organizations to help ensure youth, families and residents in North County have access to the resources they need to succeed.”
The full list of renovations at the Emerson Y include:
1. Expanded health and wellness services. An expanded fitness area, and new fitness programs and equipment, to allow more individuals to take part in the Y’s Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring, Diabetes Prevention and other chronic disease prevention programs to meet growing community needs.
2. Community kitchen. A modernized community kitchen, coupled with the existing community garden, to provide more education and food outreach in an area in need of healthy eating resources.
3. Child watch and kid’s adventure area. An expanded area for youth education programs in a safe and nurturing environment.
4. Lobby and front entrance. Renovations have been made in these areas to improve accessibility and allow more space for community meetings and gatherings.
5. New family changing room. This universal changing area will provide a safe and constructive environment for families with young children, and help ensure the Y continues to be a place For ALL.
In 2019, the Emerson Y provided more than $156,000 in financial assistance to those in need for a wide variety of services including swimming lessons, summer camp, child care, and fitness classes.
This is the second of four significant renovations by the Y in the region in the past year as part of its multi-year capital campaign aimed at bridging the opportunity gap, connecting communities, and cultivating health equity.