HOBOKEN AND HUDSON COUNTY — After suddenly suspending their programming (see earlier story here), the Hoboken/North Hudson YMCA has finally given an explanation to its customers.
Here is the letter from their board. What do you think? Comment below!
On Friday, March 19, 2010, the Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA Board of Directors made the difficult and sad decision to suspend all health and family programming. We apologize to our membership for the abrupt closing of our doors and appreciate the commitment you have shown to the YMCA through many trying years.
As many in our community know, the YMCA has been struggling to find a way to provide Hoboken with a vital, family center. More than two years ago, the Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA announced major plans to rehabilitate and expand our historic building. In anticipation of that project, the Board of Directors decided to scale back programming, defer non-essential repairs to the facility and reduce the number of residents living at the YMCA.
Unfortunately, the renovation project has taken longer to get off the ground than anyone could have anticipated, and the net result has been a precipitous decline in revenue. We held out – hopeful– until the last moment. In the end, however, the financial reality is that we cannot sustain the facility at this time. We had no choice but to immediately suspend all fitness programming.
We understand our members are dismayed. We do not want to leave anyone in the lurch and are working to make alternate fitness arrangements. A group of area YMCAs have agreed to honor all memberships and details can be found on our website. Members who pay monthly are entitled to this agreement until the end of April. No further bank drafts will be drawn against your account. Our paid-in-full members are entitled to use our neighboring YMCAs for the duration of their annual membership term. In addition, we also are pursuing other health club options in Hoboken for members. Details will be posted on our website as they become available.
Members can retrieve possessions from lockers Monday through Friday, March 29 through April 2 from 7-9 in the morning and from 6-8 in the evening. Please contact the YMCA if you need an appointment outside these times.
We are asking our Hoboken friends and family to be patient as we sort through the details. The Board of Directors is working diligently. Each Board member has made a personal contribution to cover immediate operating costs, including payroll and we are investigating all avenues of survival. We also are looking for suitable housing alternatives for our residents, many of whom have lived at the YMCA for a number of years.
Additional information can be found at www.hobokenymca.org. You can contact the Board of Directors at info@hobokenymca.org.
Sincerely,
The following members of the Board of Directors
Bob Ferrie
Rehanna Gallagher
Abbie Jacobs
Ken Nilsen
Bruce Padula
Dina Rose
Paul Somerville
Jay Yacker