GREENFIELD — Franklin County’s YMCA was recently awarded $500,000 in state funds to replace its heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
YMCA Chief Financial Officer Tracy Fisher said the funding, which comes from an Early Education and Out of School Time capital grant administered by the state Department of Early Education and Care, will be of great use to the organization as the 451 Main St. facility’s heating and cooling systems have been in a state of disrepair for years.
“This has been an existing issue with our HVAC units, which have consistently been under repair over the past five to 10 years. Members know that we’ve had a lot of issues with various units being out of commission or under repair at different times,” Fisher said. “Most specifically, in our addition on the west side, we had rooms — our Wellness Room and our FitLife Room — have been out of commission, so to speak, for a good number of years.”
“For the past several months, members and families have noticed closed-off areas and uncomfortable conditions due to our aging HVAC system,” the Y’s interim CEO, Stacie Baumann, said in a statement. “Some rooms were cold in the winter and hot in the summer, and we realized repairs were urgently needed.”
Fisher also mentioned that in October of last year, leaks from an old HVAC unit in the facility’s FitLife Room caused it to be closed for six weeks. She added that the funding will complement the YMCA’s years-long effort to raise HVAC replacement funds.
Earlier this year, Fisher said the YMCA received a $250,000 grant from the George Alden Trust, which she said the Y used to begin its HVAC project on the facility’s west side.
Fisher said the additional state funding will allow the YMCA to complete Phase 1B of the project, or the installation of three rooftop units and the replacement of four units that cover a large portion of the facility, including the Cardio Room. She added that the project is expected to begin in the next few months.
“You can ask any member, it’s been hot in there,” Fisher said. “In Phase 2, we’re going to replace the remaining four critical units. … Right now, we’re focusing on replacing the ones that are at the end of their lives and are so out-of-date that we can no longer even obtain repair parts.”
The improvements will increase comfort for spaces where hundreds of children and families gather each year, including the preschool classrooms, the gymnasium, the Game Room, the Social Room and more.
“Thanks to this grant, we can move forward with addressing these challenges and create a healthier, more welcoming environment for all who walk through our doors,” Baumann said in a statement.
“This investment will have a lasting impact, not just for the children and families we serve now, but for generations to come,” Kara Younger, director of child care at Franklin County’s YMCA, said in a statement. “We’re deeply grateful to the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Department of Early Education and Care for recognizing the importance of this project and supporting the future of our community.”