Members of the local YMCA may have noticed new equipment the last few months.
New accessible exercise machines have been installed at the Three Rivers YMCA Stratford and St. Marys locations, thanks to a $57,900 grant through the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF)’s capital grant stream.
“We like to tell Y stories,” Lisa Hood, vice president of philanthropy and marketing for YMCA of Three Rivers, said. “Stories that remind us why we do what we do. The money bought the equipment, but what that money is really doing is allowing a senior to age in place. That’s what this money really accomplishes.”
The equipment purchased by the Y includes a mat platform that allows people unable to get down on the floor to stretch and do strength exercises, a number of stationary bikes, and other fully accessible equipment.
Crystal Hughes, wellness director for the YMCA of Three Rivers, said that the new equipment also goes toward making the whole space more inviting for their members.
“We are dedicated to creating inclusive, accessible fitness centres,” Hughes said. “It’s not just about physical space, but also about fostering a community hub where individuals can come together to exercise, connect, and form friendships.”
The grant was acknowledged on Monday afternoon, with Bob Parker of OTF and Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae.
“I was at an event yesterday and someone who is a member of the Y mentioned that they really enjoy the new accessible equipment,” Rae said. “It’s great to hear that people are already using it, ensuring that those who are seniors … and those who either have been living with a disability their entire life or have had one develop over the course of their life are still able to remain active.”
The OTF’s capital grant stream aims to improve the infrastructure that Ontarians need, whether it’s purchasing equipment, building a new space, or completing renovations, retrofits or repairs, a media release said.
The projects funded by the stream improve access to facilities, programs, activities and services, improve existing spaces and support new build projects, make programs and services better and more efficient, and make better use of technology.
Parker said that last year, thanks to the funds the organization received from the Government of Ontario, they were able to award over 1,000 grants to non-profit groups around the province.
He also said that the accessible equipment are exactly the kind of initiatives that the foundation and the province wish to support.
“We always want to receive requests,” Parker said. “Don’t stop sending in requests!”
