The YMCA of Calgary's Story

This 1950s vintage badge was sewn by YMCA of Calgary's Camp Chief Hector campers onto their coats and blankets.  The two newer badges give campers in 2011 the same opportunity to show their love of camping.  This paddle was made from ash and has explored the bays of Lake Chilver, the Red Deer River, the North Saskatchewan River and the Bow River.  This horseshoe connects YMCA campers to western horse culture – riding and horse husbandry. 

Taken together, badges, paddles and horseshoes are symbols of the lasting friendships and good memories made at Calgary YMCA camps.  They are also symbols of a community culture that supports the healthy development of children, teens and young adults.

The YMCAs of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo Story

We're contributing a more than 100-year old fir beam is taken from a local manufacturer in Waterloo Region.  It reveals the different rings and layers that make up a tree, representing the generations of families who served at every level of the YMCA like the Grebs, Chaplins and Kaufmans.

We're also contributing a strip of maple is a reminder of the community-building activities that take place in our gyms.  The YMCA Jingle Bell Run, which began 20 years ago in Cambridge, is remembered by these red and green bells.  Although the race has evolved from a finish line of ropes and wooden holders to chip timing, the spirit of community and giving has not changed.

The YMCA-YWCA of Guelph's Story

We're contributing a wooden plaque that was presented to the Camp Nagiwa's first waterfront director, Leon Garstecki.  Leon was instrumental in creating the kind of camp experience that convinced Nagiwa's first owners to sell it to the YMCA-YWCA of Guelph in the 1950s.

Up until then, Guelph Y boys were gypsies who were scattered across many camps each summer.  Due to the efforts of YMCA leaders like Leon, they were able to put down roots and experience the joys of camping with lifelong friends.

This plaque is given in honour of those who made our Association what it is today.

The YMCA of Lethbridge's Story

This railway tie and spike were made for a high-level bridge constructed in 1909, around the same time as the opening of the Lethbridge YMCA.  This bridge is the highest and longest bridge of this type in the world.  These pieces were recovered from beneath it by Canadian Pacific Rail staff and given to us as a symbol of the CPR and YMCA’s long friendship.  Many CPR employees are members of the YMCA, and the company has been a faithful donor. 

These materials are among the strongest and most durable of any forged in Canada – much like the relationship between the YMCA, the CPR and the Lethbridge community.

The YMCA of Peterborough's Story

This piece of lumber, hand-forged nail and white marble tile were taken from the oldest, purpose built YMCA in Canada: the YMCA of Peterborough.  Constructed in 1895, this fine facility served the community for 112 years before a new one was built.  The wood is likely a floor or wall board.  The marble is from the floor of the original washrooms on the third floor of the building, and the square nail was used in the flooring. 

These durable building materials remind us that the YMCA of today is built on the strong foundation of the past.

The YMCA of Owen Sound's Story

This piece of Hope Bay limestone comes from the same source as the donor wall and exterior wall of the new Regional Recreation Centre – the fulfillment of a dream pursued for 20 years by the volunteers and staff at the YMCA of Owen Sound.  The limestone was donated by a local company, one of the partners involved in building this new facility. 

It represents the collaborative nature, generosity and strength of our community.

 

The YMCA of Medicine Hat's Story

This small I-XL brick represents an industry which has played an important role in the history and development of our city for almost 100 years.  I-XL Group is a fourth generation, family-owned company manufacturing quality brick products since 1912.  The Sisson family has provided significant leadership and philanthropic support to the YMCA and Medicine Hat over these many years.

When we built our new downtown YMCA in 1972, brick was chosen as the main building material.  In 1982, a robbery started a major fire.  Although it burned for six hours, the damage was minimal due to the extensive use of brick.

Brick is a symbol of our valued connection to a leader in Medicine Hat’s business sector and a historic philanthropic partner.

The YMCA of Moose Jaw's Story

This actual moose jawbone has been hand-painted by a local artist, Quinton Johb.  The YMCA triangle and its founding date – 1905 – are surrounded by familiar Prairie images like the railway and grain elevators.  There are two stories as to how our city got its name. The first one is that it comes from the Plains Cree name moscâstani-sîpiy meaning "a warm place by the river”. The other is that the Moose Jaw River is shaped like a moose’s jaw on the city map. 

The YMCA of Moose Jaw is proud to be part of this historic Canadian city and to provide quality programs with a focus on the health and well-being of its residents.

The YMCA of Niagara's Story

This collection of wooden blocks may look ordinary but they represent something very special.  These blocks have been carried, kicked, stepped on and jumped off by hundreds of children over the years – one day a castle, the next day a doll house.  Children have left their marks on these toys and they have taught children a great deal through play. 

In 1981, the YMCA of Niagara opened its first child care centre.  A much needed service as more and more women began entering the workforce while raising young families. 

These toys remind us that high quality child care is a building block of healthy child and family development.

The YMCA of North Bay's Story

This is the manufacturer’s plate that was on a wire recorder used by Lord Thomson of Fleet.  The Thomson media empire has its roots in a North Bay radio station.  In 1964, a fire at the temporary site of the North Bay YMCA caused its future to be in jeopardy.  Having not forgotten the city that launched him, Lord Thomson made a donation of $100,000 towards an indoor pool. 

This leadership gift inspired our Board of Directors to build a full-service YMCA under the same roof.  Eventually, the municipality made it their centennial project and a partnership was struck that is the basis for our operations today. 

This plate reminds us of Lord Thomson without whom the YMCA may not have taken such a big leap forward in 1967.

The YMCA-YWCA of Northeast Avalon's Stories

The polished rock was taken from the North Atlantic at Middle Cove Beach near St. John’s, Newfoundland.  It is best known for its steep cliffs and rough seas. 

This second rock comes from the site of the new YMCA-YWCA in Pippy Park on land donated by the City of St. John’s.  The Association's current location on New Cove Road is too small and this new facility will give us the chance to grow. 

The third item is a cancelled stamp issued in 1949 to commemorate the entry of Newfoundland into the confederation with Canada.

The YMCA of Exploits Valley's Story

We're contributing a a keepsake from the opening of the Exploits Valley YMCA in November 1994 – one of the first municipally-owned recreation centres to be operated as a YMCA.  In partnership with the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor, we offer a full range of programs and services for the whole family from this centre. 

It is also the base for a partnership with other Atlantic YMCAs in support of the YMCA of Honduras which works in poor neighborhoods in the capital Tegucigalpa and in the rural communities of Marcala, La Paz, and Taulabe. 

This key unlocks doors to opportunities for personal and social change.

The YMCA-YWCA of National Capital Region's Stories

We're contributing a piece of the keystone from our first building, a hockey puck and an LP record.  In 1916, the Ottawa YMCA opened its first building at the corner of Metcalfe and Laurier streets – almost 50 years after it was founded.  The keystone was located above the entrance.  A hockey puck like this one is given to newcomers who use our settlement services.  (The original Ottawa Senators were housed in our facility.)  It is a token from YMCA history and a symbol of Canada’s favourite pastime.  The LP was developed by Sandy Keir, Physical Education Director for the National Capital Region Y in the early 1960s as a home exercise program with the back cover of the jacket serving as the step-by-step instructions.

The YMCA of Oakville's Story

This piece of art – a stylized log with oak leaves at its core – represents the town of Oakville and our YMCA.  Bert Jackson, a local artist and YMCA volunteer, designed the piece and created two bronze acorns to symbolize children and youth.  The oak leaves at the centre were carved from white oak by another local artist, Rainer Wenzel, to represent our growing community.  The exterior is made of red oak donated by the Town of Oakville from its Iroquois Shoreline Woods Park. 

The piece represents a collaboration between the YMCA, our partners, and the community.  It symbolizes our continued efforts to serve all and to strengthen our community.

The YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg's Story

This paddle comes from the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg’s Camp Stephens.  Established in 1891, it is one of Canada's longest-running summer camps.  For generations, young people from all backgrounds have come to these breathtaking islands on Lake of the Woods just south of Kenora to take part in a unique and caring island community. 

A lot of things have changed at camp over the past century, but our values have remained the same.  We strive to build a better world – one kid at a time.  Each camper is challenged to learn, grow and develop in spirit, mind and body. 

The Camp Stephens’ experience demonstrates the values of responsibility to oneself, others and the wider world.

The YMCA of Regina's Story

This piece of cornerstone, laid in 1907 is a symbol of the adversity faced by the Regina YMCA in its early history and its ability to overcome significant obstacles.  Financial problems dogged Association leaders through the early 1900s, and to make matters worse we experienced significant damage as a result of the famous Regina Cyclone of 1912. 

As a result of these crises we were forced close temporarily in 1913.  After it reopened board members made significant personal contributions to keep the YMCA’s doors open during the war years.  Today, the Regina YMCA is a strong and thriving association.

This cornerstone remains a sign of the strength that is developed through adversity.

The YMCA of Saskatoon's Story

We're contributing a handcrafted cornice is from the first Saskatoon YMCA building circa 1912.  They accented eaves and panels under the front portico, adding a stately elegance to what the Saskatoon Daily Phoenix called “one of the most luxuriously planned association structures in Canada.”  The building was demolished in 1971 but the cornices were rescued by a friend of the YMCA, Bob Isinger.

This paddle has belonged to three generations of Porteous family members who were active in the Saskatoon YMCA and Camp Wakonda on Wakaw Lake. 

It represents what the Porteous family says the YMCA has given them: an understanding and respect for the environment, reverence for life, a healthy lifestyle, the opportunity to care for others, and a love for life-long learning.

The YMCA of Sault Ste. Marie's Story

This piece of Douglas fir is a float from the Sault Ste. Marie Canal.  Logs like this were used to protect the canal sandstone walls from erosion and damage from ships.  Completed in 1895, the canal formed the last link in an all-Canadian navigation system stretching from the St. Lawrence River to Lake Superior.  Designed and built by Canadians, the canal incorporated several engineering innovations – the world's longest lock and the first to operate with electrical power.  Closed in 1987, the canal was equipped with a modern lock and opened for recreational use in 1998. 

As a passage through the Great Lakes, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal is a connector that helps us navigate the country – just like the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA helps children and families connect and navigate their community.

The YMCA of Simcoe-Muskoka

Four artifacts make up the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka’s contribution to the table: a souvenir letter opener from 1967 when the Centennial Centre at YMCA Geneva Park was opened, a wall plaque inviting guests to offer their suggestions for improvements to the Park, a swatch of material from the YMCA of Sierra Leone (our international partner since 2004) and a badge worn by YMCA personnel who served with Canadian troops during the Second World War. 

All four represent the Association’s strong connection to the national and international YMCA family.

The YMCA of Windsor's Story

The YMCA of Windsor was planted in the Border Cities area in 1868.  Over the last 140 years, we have become a leader in helping individuals stay or become healthy. We give individuals the tools and opportunities to grow as leaders. 

Our first building was a joint centre for young men and women, with recreational facilities and residential accommodation.  The idea was developed by a coalition of prominent community leaders and came to life in 1926.  This artifact is a piece of a door to a residence room, likely a transom.  It is a reminder of our residence which served as a “first home away from home” for thousands of young adults more than eight decades.  . 

This building was retired in the early 90s so that we could take up new tools to reach a new generation.

The YMCA of Yarmouth's Story

This swimming badge is more than 20 years old.  It is a symbol of the role that the Yarmouth YMCA plays in water safety and drowning prevention in our community – a fishing port in rural southwestern Nova Scotia.  Yarmouth is in the heart of the world’s largest lobster fishing grounds and has Canada’s highest lobster catch. 

Over four decades, we have operated the only indoor pool and have taught every child in the town and surrounding communities to swim in partnership with the school board.  Not only do we teach skills but our philosophy of youth leadership development has built community leadership capacity.

This badge symbolizes the achievements of young people, our community and our YMCA.

The YMCA of Timmins' Story

This yard stick is a memento from the Timmins YMCA’s first facility: an old school house on the hill circa 1938.  With a charter date of 1995, we are one of the youngest YMCAs but a lot has happened since we moved into our new home in 2003. 

We’ve been constantly renovating our location to make it serve our child care and before and after school care programs.  We have opened another before and after school site at Bertha Shaw Public School in order to provide care in South Porcupine.  These changes at our main location have turned us into a one stop childcare and day camp location, enabling parents to feel confident that their children are in a fun, safe and nurturing environment.

This yardstick is a measure of how far we’ve come!

The YMCA of Edmonton's Story

We're contributing two trophies that capture the spirit of healthy competition fostered by the Edmonton YMCA in the 30s, 40s and 50s.  In those days, two courts were dedicated to handball, racquetball and squash games.  The silver bowl mounted on a wooden base was given for a provincial tournament by the York Leland and Royal George Hotels.  We've also sent a badge that commemorates a city-wide fair sponsored by the YMCA for public school students in grades one to eight. 

These artifacts show how the YMCA has worked its way into the hearts, memories and scrapbooks of its members.

The YMCA of Kamloops' Story

We've sent a log from an old growth Ponderosa Pine tree from the greater Kamloops region.  In recent years, these trees have been dying off due to beetle infestation. The City of Kamloops had kept some of the trees from their parks and had the wood milled for community projects. It was given to the Kamloops YMCA-YWCA by the city as a contribution to this national table.

This wood is a reminder of the terrain upon which the City and YMCA-YWCA were built.

The YMCA of Cape Breton's Story

This plaque commemorates the summer that group of young people, the Crew of Nozark, spent at YMCA Camp Barrachois in 1948. The camp is on the shores of the Bras d'Or Lakes in Cape Breton built by the Sydney Y's Men and given to The YMCA of Cape Breton in the 1980s.

This plaque is one of many created and installed by campers over seventy years.  They also carved or painted their names into beams, tables and walls.  Although the camp was closed in 2009 pending a study into its best use for the future, its memory lives on through Norm MacAulay, Harry Henderson and the other counsellors-in-training.  Listen to Norm, who is still a YMCA member at 78, tell the story of their exciting canoe trip and a stormy night spent on a bed of coals.

This plaque demonstrates that young people leave their mark on the YMCA -- and the YMCA leaves an indelible imprint on their lives.

The YMCA-YWCA of Victoria's Story

This piece of wood is an original cedar shake from the roof of the Glinz Brothers' hunting and fishing lodge -- the first structure built in the 1920s on the property that now belongs to YMCA-YWCA of Victoria.  The shakes were hand split from timber felled on the land.  Camp Thunderbird, a residential camp and outdoor education centre, was opened by the Y in 1935.  Today, the Glinz lodge houses the camp office and staff.

This cedar shake reminds us that the Y is a steward of the natural environment through its camping programs.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto's Story

There was a time when brass doorknobs like this one could be found throughout the College Street YMCA in downtown Toronto.  They carried the Association's distinctive symbol -- the triangle of spirit, mind and body -- as a visible reminder of its mission, values and vision for the young men who walked through its doors.

Some of these antique doorknobs continued to serve this purpose in new locations as tired YMCA buildings were replaced by modern ones.  Over the years, the YMCA of Greater Toronto's image also evolved to reflect the diversity and values of our growing region.  Today, we're becoming an even more open and inclusive organization that welcomes all.  One day, our communities will be home for the healthiest children, teens and young adults because we believed in reaching out and including everyone in YMCA work -- the essential work of providing opportunities for personal growth, leadership, and community involvement for all.

This doorknob reminds us that only open doors turn a community into a home.

The YMCA of Pictou County's Story

We're contributing a newspaper article that covers the YMCA of Pictou County’s groundbreaking ceremony in 1969.  Today, we’re getting ready to break ground for a new multi-service facility that we’re building in partnership with the six municipalities in Pictou County. 

The sign in this article is also a sign for our times.

The YMCA of Sudbury's Story

This log is cut from one of the pilings in the back harbour of YMCA John Island Camp in the North Channel of Lake Huron. The pilings supported a 200 metre long dock that extended out into the harbour allowing ships to pick up the stacked wood products as soon as the winter ice was gone.

At one time, a village of 250 people supported logging operations on the island.  When the saw mill burned to the ground in 1918, it was abandoned.  The property exchanged hands many times until the Bell Family sold it to the Y's Men's Club for a children's camp.  The family then donated the purchase price of $5,000 to the YMCA of Sudbury.

The log represents the pioneer spirit of Northern Ontario -- in supplying building products for a growing province a hundred years ago, and in revitalizing communities with farsighted projects like John Island Camp.

The YMCA of Greater Vancouver's Story

This wooden plaque comes from YMCA Camp Elphinstone in Vancouver, British Columbia.  The YMCA of Greater Vancouver bought the nine acres of waterfront property on Howe Sound (for only $150/acre!) in 1907 when the city was literally being carved out of the woods.

The boys of Tent E in 1923 were C. Rowles, A. Gibson, E. Henderson and K. Brencroft.  From the tent yell scrawled on the back of this plaque, we know that they found camaraderie and tradition at camp while making lasting memories.  Painting plaques like this one to hang in the dining hall continues to be a favourite camp ritual.

This plaque represents the ties that bind camps and campers to this day: the values of teamwork, friendship and adventure.

The YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford's Stories

This weight comes from a barbell set that belonged to Gord Skinner, whose 85-year tenure as a YMCA member at the Hamilton Downtown YMCA is believed to be the longest in Canadian YMCA history.  He bought the set for himself as a teen and grew up to be an international powerlifting champion in his senior years.  Gord taught us that anything is possible with determination and hard work.

It's now a common practice for exercise to be prescribed immediately following a cardiac event.  This practice was not always the case.  The YMCA was a partner in leading the way to cardiac rehabilitation as we know it today under the guidance of long-serving volunteer, Dr. Mo Ali.  This is the original graphic designed to promote the YMCA's first Post Cardiac Club in 1967 for the Burlington community.

This piece of wood was salvaged from the Brantford YMCA's old Queen Street building before it was sold and redeveloped.  This tile came from the Men's Change Room.  Although it is never easy to say goodbye to an old friend, these items remind us that letting go of what we have been is necessary to grasp what we can become.

This is a self-infusion kit for YMCA Wanakita campers who have hemophilia.  It was produced by Bayer, one of the YMCA's partners in a special program designed for children with this rare bleeding disorder.  At camp, children learn to self-infuse their medication under the supervision of volunteer doctors and nurses -- and take a huge step toward greater independence.  On the 20th anniversary of this partnership with Hemophilia Ontario, this kit marks our commitment to inclusiveness and the healthy development of all children.

These artifacts are made of iron, wood, ceramic and plastic materials.  They show us that the YMCA is renewed by combining old and new elements.

The YMCA of Halifax-Dartmouth's Story

These rocks come from YMCA Big Cove Camp in Thorburn, Nova Scotia, the country's oldest residential camp.  They from a much larger rock that is a rallying point for the camp community and a centrepiece of camplife.

The camp experience is all about developing leadership skills, growing in self-esteem, and appreciating the nature environment.  It is one of the most powerful ways that the YMCA of Halifax-Dartmouth strengthens the foundations of community.

Camp is a rock upon which young lives are built and around which strong communities are formed all over the world.

The YMCA of Fredericton's Story

Fredericton is a Y's Men's and Y's Mennette's Service Club community.  In fact, it hosts the largest concentration of club members in Canada.  They work collaboratively with the YMCA of Fredericton on countless community projects.

This pin is a symbol of membership in this worldwide fellowship of community-minded men and women who feel a close connection to the YMCA and who "acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right."  This badge is a souvenier from the Magaguadavic Camp started by the Capital Y's Men's Club in 1947.

These emblems are signs of community spirit and commitment to service.  They help us remember the selfless example of Y's Men and Y's Menettes.

The YMCA-YWCA of the Central Okanagan's Story

The YMCA-YWCA of the Central Okanagan is one of Canada’s youngest Associations.  It was established in 1980 on a foundation of memories.  Founders Linda and David Cline, with a small group of friends, wanted to create a Y in Kelowna to share their childhood YMCA experiences with children and other families living in the Okanagan.

Good memories also sustain us as an Association.  This journal entry and YMCA hotel receipt from 1945 connects a young 19-year old soldier named Reynolds to the YMCA during World War II.  When on leave, he travelled in England staying in YMCAs where he found a clean, safe and affordable refuge from the war. Those memories inspired him to support our Y as an annual donor and more recently with a transformational donation to our capital building campaign. He also kept receipts of his travels during his posting in England and after the war as he hitch-hiked throughout North America.

This journal entry and hotel receipts demonstrate that lasting memories and relationships are created by the YMCA.  They are what sustain us from generation to generation.

The YMCA of Brockville's Story

For over a hundred years, the YMCA of Brockville operated in various rental spaces.  This brick formed the south wall of the first building that the YMCA built in 1972 and now owns at 345 Park Street.  The wall was removed in 1992 to make way for an expansion which included a new swimming pool, running track and conditioning area.

This brick represents the tenacity of a community in the pursuit of its vision of continuous development and growth.

The YMCA of Brandon's Story

This sheaf of wheat comes from Brandon, Manitoba -- the Wonder City of the Northwest -- which was founded in 1881.  The rapid growth of grain farming turned it into the Wheat City by 1886.  This is the same year that a group of community-minded business people founded the YMCA of Brandon. 

The YMCA has grown with the city while remaining at its centre.  On the eve of its 125th anniversary, it is preparing to open a new facility -- the Dood Cristall YMCA -- right downtown. 

Like wheat, the YMCA is a staple that leavens, nourishes and keep us healthy!

The YMCA of Belleville and Quinte's Story

This wooden dumbell was discovered in a corner of the YMCA of Belleville and Quinte.  Dumbells were used more than a century ago for calisthenics, an approach to physical exercise than resembles gymnastics.  Once innovations, dumbells and medicine balls have been replaced by free weights and resistence machines.

The equipment that supports a healthy lifestyle may change, but the need for movement and variety in physical activity remains a constant.