Today, the community of Ahuntsic-Cartierville opened the doors of its new YMCA.  Founded in 1906, it is one of Montréal’s oldest neighbourhoods and now home to a very diverse population (including many newcomers from Algeria, Morocco and Haiti who represent 30% of the total.)  Thanks to a creative partnership between the City of Montréal and the YMCA, residents have a new place to connect and to find support in living healthy, active lives.

YMCA Canada’s Caroline Sauriol, a board member from Québec, and Laura Palmer Korn were on hand for the official ribbon-cutting this morning.  I’m out west attending other YMCA meetings, so Laura sent me this report from the airport:

It’s been great to be in Montréal with Caroline for the opening of the new Cartierville YMCA.  As my cab drove me in from the airport, we turned onto a typical wide main suburban street, passing gas stations, strip malls, churches and mid-rise apartments, only to see a large YMCA logo off in the distance against a bright white building. I entered the building along with hundreds of others, many of them children and teens obviously eager to swim, run, or shoot hoops for the first time in their own YMCA.

YMCA staff member Suzanne Simard recognized me and immediately made me feel welcome, ushering me through the crowds to the reception room.  President and CEO Stéphane Vaillancourt and the YMCA team were out in full to celebrate their accomplishment and to open the newest YMCA in Canada — the first one built in Québec in the last 22 years.  It’s an architectural marvel.  Solid white throughout, floor to ceiling glass, environmentally-friendly, and an extra wide pool with shimmering blue green water.  Daniel Tierney, who stickhandled the project, said that they knew that people would bring the colour!

The community also celebrated its accomplishment — a partnership of multiple government bodies, the hospital and the YMCA.  The Mayor, provincial dignitaries, and former Leader of the Opposition (and current Member of Parliament for this federal riding) Stéphane Dion were on hand to congratulate those who have worked since 1989 to revitalize the area and to make their YMCA a reality.  As one resident said to me, “I’ve lived in this neighbourhood for 35 years and finally we have a place to go.  The entire community is uplifted by this new YMCA.”

I’ve posted some pictures that I took when I was there in March for a meeting with the YMCA Canada staff and the Management Resource Centre CEOs.  Click here to see them on YMCA Canada’s Flickr page.  You can also check out the YMCAs of Québec website to learn more about how this new tool for community building will be used by the residents of Ahuntsic-Cartierville. 

Our YMCA colleagues in Montréal — where the first YMCA in Canada was planted in 1851 – inspire us and make us very proud to be part of an organization that can realize big dreams like this one.  Not only once or in a single community, but many times and in communities of every description.  Not only in Canada, but in more than 124 countries.  An organization that can renew itself and its tools as the times change.  A 160-year old organization that can offer evidence like the Cartierville YMCA that it remains responsive, adaptable and relevant.

Tell us about the dreams that you are working hard to realize for your community these days?

Scott