News and Facility Updates
Questions about next steps for the Downtown Y? Email y2025@vancouverislandy.ca
- December 2023 - Update and Holiday Wishes
To all of our members and supporters, volunteers and staff, and to the many individuals and families that access the facilities and services we offer, thank you for being a part of the Y. We wish you health and happiness as we move into 2024, and wanted to provide a bit of an update on our operations and share some of our planning work.
We also invite you to help us strengthen our communities by considering a financial gift click here to donate or by dropping off non-perishable food items and gift cards at any of our locations this month. These contributions will directly benefit youth at risk and young families in the Y’s Pandora Youth Apartments and Y-Young Moms. More information about these programs and the people whose lives are being changed is available on our website, as well as stories about Camp Thunderbird, Y Mind, our licenced childcare centres, and the many initiatives and activities that are made available through our Financial Assistance program. Providing opportunities for you to give back through the YMCA – YWCA has been an integral part of our identity and purpose since we were first started here as a charity almost 150 years ago.
New members still continue to join us, with familiar faces also returning at both our Downtown and Westhills locations. We’ve seen net growth in membership every single month since re-opening in mid- 2020 (even during the traditionally slower summer and holiday seasons), and while not yet back at our pre-pandemic levels, the busy times are busy and it’s feeling more like a Y again. We’re hopeful that the upcoming New Year’s resolutions, and increased attention to living healthier lifestyles and connecting more with others, will generate another bump to start 2024. Watch for our ads and social media posts and please bring others along for a visit using your guest passes or through regular events like our “free on the 5th” promotion.
Our agreement with the City of Langford and Westhills Corporation that was made earlier this year has solidified our Langford / West Shore services, and we are excited about the continued expansion of programs, classes and activities for individuals and for families. Our Westhills childcare centre was also approved by the Province of BC as a $10 per day site this year, which has made a world of difference to the families we serve here.
Efforts to seek a new location for Downtown operations have gained renewed energy this fall with conversations involving a number of local potential partners / sites and with an opportunity for deeper collaboration including the City of Victoria. Conditions remain challenging, in terms of the cost for space and ensuring the financial viability of our operations while remaining true to our values and philosophy as a Y. We will provide more updates as more specific progress is made.
The future is clearer than it has been for some time, and the community is coming together in recognizing the value and importance of what we deliver. Concert Properties has also remained wonderfully supportive of our continued operation under the downtown lease until they move forward with their emerging development plans in the next few years. We’re hopeful, and our Board has re-affirmed the priority of a continued presence in Victoria, based on seeking opportunities for more collaboration, securing additional resources, and communicating our vision for a Downtown Y as key factors to our next phase.
Initial planning is underway on some additional capital improvements at Camp Thunderbird as a result of recent new donations, and we expect another full camp season for 2024 with opportunities for young campers and our staff leaders to realize and to expand their potential. Now, more than ever, the Camp experience is an essential relief and antidote to the stress and anxiety reported by so many young people. Sending kids off to camp in the summer is also welcomed by many of their parents 😉
Housing affordability remains an almost intractable challenge in our region, and the lack of options is creating additional vulnerability. We are supporting the regional Rent Bank initiative and hear weekly examples of people at risk of losing their housing, compounding the issues related to our growing unhoused population across the region. The work of our staff at the Y’s Pandora Youth Apartments and Young Moms program continues to be very valuable in supporting young people to secure, and keep, a safe and affordable place to live. For example, with the support of our team, Starlight Investments recently made several below market rental units available to individuals and families transitioning from our programs. The young people who accessed these newly renovated apartments this past month were incredibly grateful and their spaces in our program were opened up for new participants.
Our volunteers and employees are the main reason that our members and supporters love the Y, and I can’t say enough about how proud and amazed I am by these people and the way our values are reflected in everything we do. It’s the main reason I love the organization as well. We started our first employment support program over the summer (Discover ECE) focused on helping people to start a career as Early Childhood Educators.
It’s an incredibly busy time, but also an opportunity for important reflection, reconnections and recharging. Please take the time to think about those most precious to you, and how we can all become healthier and stronger as a community. We look forward to serving you and supporting you in these objectives.
Take care,
Derek
Derek Gent
CEO
- February 24, 2023 - Planning for the Future at the Westhills YMCA-YWCA - CEO Message
I hope that 2023 is off to a great start for you and that the Y has played an important role in the first weeks of the new and exciting year ahead. For our team at the Y, we’re focused on our continued recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and planning for a thriving future for our association on Vancouver Island.
Our facilities in downtown Victoria and at Westhills Y in Langford continue to steadily attract more members to our Y community. We have recently extended both weekday and weekend operating hours and continue to add programming and capacity. Camp Thunderbird registration recently opened to much enthusiasm, our housing programs are actively supporting local youth and we began offering $10 per day childcare at the Westhills Y in January. There is a lot to celebrate, particularly the efforts of our dedicated volunteers, staff and members. We have lots of work still to do and we’re excited about the future.
In planning for the future of the Westhills Y, we’ve been in ongoing discussions with our partners at the City of Langford and Westhills Corporation about our continued challenge to cover operating costs at this incredible facility. Though exacerbated by the pandemic, financial losses at the Westhills YMCA-YWCA have been an ongoing burden for the Y and we’ve been working hard on potential solutions. As part of a comprehensive strategy for the facility, I am very happy to have a proposal for increased funding from the municipality going before Langford Council’s Committee of the Whole for consideration on February 27 and to Council for adoption on March 6, 2023.
The new proposal, which has been recommended for approval by City of Langford staff, would see the 2023 funding for the Westhills Y increase to align with the Y’s operating and occupancy costs for our 60,000 sf facility and pools, as well as a commitment to a long term plan to ensure its viability for years to come. This approach will make it possible for our programs and services to continue to grow to meet the needs of our neighbours in Langford and the West Shore. Our Y provides tremendous value in Langford, whose residents comprise 70% of our membership at this location. While we serve individuals and families throughout Greater Victoria, we are truly grateful to have this opportunity to secure our future as we work to diversify our programs in the growing West Shore communities.
As I have previously shared with you, planning for our Downtown Victoria operation also continues, but has certainly been delayed due to the pandemic. We continue to operate downtown and plan to remain in our Broughton Street location for the foreseeable future with the support of Concert Properties, as we seek new opportunities for serving the community here.
I look forward to updating you further in the times ahead.
- December 2022 - CEO Message
I just wanted to take the time to send out a seasonal message to all our members and supporters here, thanking you for being a part of our YMCA – YWCA, and encouraging you to help us continue the positive momentum that we’ve seen toward ever stronger, healthier and more connected communities moving into 2023.
The Y is a place where community comes together. As a charity, we support each other, improve ourselves, encourage new learning and development, and we provide opportunities to give back in ways that improve all of our lives. I have been heartened by both the increasing “busy ness” of our two main facilities at the Downtown Y and Westhills Y and especially the extent to which members are stepping up to support our programs through the holiday giving campaigns or our in-branch drop off sites for non-perishable food items or gift cards for tenants at Pandora Youth Apartments or Y Young Moms.We’ve recognized a number of familiar faces returning that we haven’t seen in a while, and a continued stream of people who are new to the Y. Folks are participating in an expanding set of classes and activities available for everyone from newborn babies to teens to more than a few active members who are over 90. Our incredible group of volunteers and staff are always excited to welcome and support people coming through our doors, and we want to see even more of them. Please consider bringing someone along with one of the guest passes included in your membership and encourage your friends and family to join along with you.In terms of other update information, our efforts to plan for the future are ongoing, in a context that represents another unique chapter in our long history. The pandemic has resulted in some lasting changes to how people want to stay healthy and how we interact, with the current economic conditions affecting factors like inflation, affordability and staffing in ways that require new ways of doing things. For almost 150 years, the Y has existed here to address the needs of our communities, and we remain committed to this purpose.With our operations in Downtown Victoria, we are redoubling efforts and have been engaged in different conversations to consider options for how we may secure new physical space over the next few years. The current reality has us focused on more collaborative opportunities that would keep our costs down, seek additional resources and allow us to deliver the community-level benefits that are so important.We are looking at each of our locations and our program delivery areas with a similar lens for greater diversification and partnership. From our Westhills Y we see potential for expanding the scope of what we can do to better support the growing needs of Langford and the West Shore communities, where there has been such significant change over the past few years.Revitalizing Camp Thunderbird is another priority, where we have influenced the development of young people for generations through our programs and activities. Literally rooting our work in the natural environment of this region, while focusing on both mental and physical health and encouraging respect for the land and peoples here, is part of our past and our future.Tapping into the broad expertise through our network of YMCA and YWCA federations, strengthening our relationships with other local organizations and government providers, and by building on our existing capacities we are exploring options for additional program delivery in areas such as childcare, housing, preventative health and other inclusive community services.It is an exciting and challenging time. We need to keep growing our membership in the near term and further deepen our impact and connections over the longer term. Join us in making your community a better place by supporting our Y, becoming a member or making a donation. We wish you a wonderful holiday season and all the best for a fantastic new year! - July2022
It’s been quite a while since we sent out an update message, and we have been so pleased to see the continuing return of members to our facilities as conditions improve and we are able to offer more of the services and access that were available pre-pandemic. Our spaces are feeling invigorated from the members using them, the amazing volunteers and staff here are inspired by those we serve and the connections we see happening are strengthening our communities.
Thank you to all of the individuals and families who have been accessing our Y facilities through your memberships, and to the many people who have made additional charitable donations in support of our programs including Y Young Moms, Pandora Youth Apartments and Y-Mind, or the Childcare operations and Camp Thunderbird. We’re so very excited to see the daily buses each morning heading up to Camp again this summer, and a return to overnight camping for many enthusiastic young people who gain so much from this experience. Your contributions helped make this happen.
July 22nd marks 6 months since our main facilities re-opened again in January after the closure forced by the Omicron variant of Covid-19 just at the end of last year. We have been working since this time to increase and improve what’s available as we have navigated the appropriate loosening of restrictions while respecting the various comfort levels of people in our spaces. Staffing has also been a challenge in the difficult local labour market, and our folks have really stepped up. The health and safety of our members, volunteers and staff remains our primary priority in making your experience great.
We also continue to plan for the future.
This pandemic has presented unique challenges for our organization and for our communities, resulting in tragic consequences for many individuals and families, and what has been described as “the most significant disruption of habits since WWII”. With the impacts from this long period of social isolation and based on new ways of working and living that have emerged, our context has changed. We firmly believe that our Y is as important as ever, and the need for our services, our support and our spaces is ongoing. Your belonging to the Y helps us deliver on this mandate and will set the stage for our next steps and beyond.
In our Downtown Y building, we have been wonderfully supported by Concert Properties as our landlord at the current site, and we fully intend to stay operating here for the next few years as originally planned. Increasing our membership is a priority, and we are actively working on defining the right opportunity for a new location (or locations) to serve the needs of people here. We have not moved forward past the planning and feasibility stage on a specific new site at this time, paused by Covid-19 and the realities of the costs and market uncertainty we face. Our conversations, analysis, and outreach continue, led by our Board of Directors, and we will be working on developing more tangible actions for moving forward over the next while. We also continue to monitor the needs of our communities, measured against our capacity to support these needs and seeking ways to collaborate with others.
At our Westhills Y, we are similarly working to increase membership levels at our facility here, with a proud and growing group of our regular users and many folks new to our Y or new to this community participating in the array of programs and activities that are still expanding. It is an exciting challenge to keep pace with the rapidly changing population on the West Shore, and we really appreciate the close relationship and support that has been provided from the City of Langford.
Summertime is normally a slower time at the Y, but we have been continuing to see more people joining this month at both locations. We would encourage you to consider bringing others along when you visit next, using the guest passes available with your membership or purchasing day use access that will be available again in the near future. If you haven’t re-activated your membership, consider coming back as routines and healthy habits are re-established in this next phase of our Y and our lives. Your community is here at the Y.
- Re-opening January 22, 2022
With the recent Public Health announcement lifting closure orders for our Downtown and Westhills facilities, Y volunteers and staff are working hard here to adapt to the updated requirements as we prepare for a gradual re-opening with memberships resuming Saturday January 22nd.
Unfortunately, this will require some new protocols (and some you may remember from the past) so we would ask that you check out our website for membership information and details as you prepare to come back. Our priority is your safety and health, as we are carefully applying the guidance and rules set out while striving to make things as smooth, comfortable and welcoming as possible.
This past month-long closure, with the accompanying Omicron surge of the pandemic has been hard on our folks here and has affected the health and well-being of our communities that we serve. We’re very keen to get back to what we’re best at, and that is serving our members. We can’t wait to greet you again and we know that you want to see each other back at the Y!
I can’t say enough about the resilience and attitudes of our team here (not to mention their expertise and passion) as we continue to adapt and as they live our Y values by caring so much about you and our communities. Please share your support and respect as we re-open, and accept our gratitude for your patience and for belonging to the Y.
January 22 Re-Opening Membership Information
Members with a pre-paid 1 year membership:
You will have your expiry date extended for the length of the closure.
Members with a monthly continuous membership:
You do not need to do anything. All memberships will resume automatically January 22, unless you provided written notice to cancel your membership using the Y’s online cancellation form.
The days remaining in your membership since our closure will be reactivated until your next membership renewal date. The automatic payments will then continue on your membership renewal date.
Here are a few examples:
- If you paid on November 22, your membership renewal date will be January 22.
- If you paid on December 1, your membership renewal date will be February 1.
- If you paid on December 21, your membership renewal date will be on February 21.
To check your Membership Renewal date you can log into the Y’s Online Service Portal by clicking here and follow these steps once you have logged in:
- Click on Payment and Order Management
- Click on Transaction and Payment History
- Here you can see your past Membership Renewal dates
What happened to my continuous monthly membership during the closure?
All continuous monthly memberships were renewed and charged fees up to and including today December 21. After December 21 (today), memberships renewed on their renewal date with no fee ($0.00) charged. Fees will resume charging on January 22 (see above for details)
Can I get a refund and cancel my membership?
Click here and request a cancellation. Refunds are not available for unused membership time as a result of the PHO order.
My last continuous monthly membership payment did not go through do I owe the Y for this fee?
Yes. Outstanding balances owing to the Y will continue to be owing upon re-opening. If payment is made prior to your next renewal date your membership will continue and payments will be charged.
If payment of an outstanding balance is not made your membership will be cancelled and the payment will remain owing as per the Membership Payment Agreement. Balances can be paid online at anytime using the Online Service Portal.
- Update - December 22, 2021
As many of you have probably seen or heard in the news, or through our online app and website, a new Provincial Health Order issued today has forced the temporary closure of our Downtown Y and Westhills Y until this order is lifted. This is a very challenging time for many of us, but an important measure in supporting the health and well-being of our community by reducing the spread of Covid-19 and its newest variant.
Additional information on the status of your membership and answers to many of your questions are available on our website in the Know Before You Go materials, which we regularly update. Click here to learn about your membership status.
We want to thank you for the support you have provided to our organization through your membership here and for having continued to access our facilities and programs during this ever changing pandemic period. As conditions improve and restrictions are lifted we look forward to welcoming you back and returning to the strong, healthy community that you have helped us to build.
- Update -June 4, 2021
It has been heartening to see that the local vaccination numbers have been going up, as Covid-19 infection levels and hospitalizations are declining. We all eagerly anticipate the loosening of restrictions and a return to more activities with ever greater opportunities to socialize. Our communities will come together again, and your Y will be an important part of this strengthening and connecting where we can.
You can look forward to further updates, and please check our website as more services are made available and protocols are adapted with next stages. Rest assured that the health and safety of everyone continues to be our core priority – we are excited, but careful.
This pandemic has been an incredibly challenging time for our organization, and for those we serve. Many of us are tired. I continue to draw so much inspiration from our staff and volunteers here, or from those that access our facilities and programs, and from the members of our communities who have stepped up to do what is necessary for us all to remain healthy and safe.
A few of our folks recently participated in a day of volunteer painting and landscaping up at the Y Young Moms program which has been “radically renovated” by the Herowork crew over most of 2020. A story was shared from one of the Moms who has faced tremendous personal challenges, in that she draws her motivation primarily from supporting her new daughter. Getting up each day and doing what it takes to make this child’s life better gives her strength and purpose and has caused her to improve her own situation. I reflect on the caring and service to others that is so fundamental to our values at the Y. I’m also emotionally struck by the recent discovery of 215 children who died at the Kamloops Residential School and reminded of how much more work there is to do for all of us.
Camp Thunderbird has started the outdoor education season with day groups from some local schools and youth groups. Our thanks here to the many donors who have contributed to help make this happen. We’re fully booked for the summer sessions that are available at this time. We will continue to watch for changes from the public health authority and consider possibilities for additional options, although overnight camping in our buildings is very unlikely this season given the need to prepare.
As shared earlier, and as you will see in our forthcoming 2020 Annual Report and upcoming AGM, the financial impacts of this pandemic have been significant for our organization. Despite federal government subsidies available and the local support mobilized, our limited membership revenues and a long period of reduced operation in our facilities has resulted in losses and affected our capacity.
Planning efforts for a new downtown facility have been largely paused at this point, as we reflect on the future and gauge what our next normal looks like in terms of sustainable operations. We have not made any further specific commitments or ruled out options regarding location or design at this time. My respect for Jawl Properties during this process is profound, and we have also been well supported with additional flexibility from Concert and Westhills in our Downtown and Langford sites.
At the Eagle Creek location in View Royal, we found a subtenant earlier this year to open childcare spaces again as a new operator, with spots offered first to those families affected by our closure. We are now in the process of securing a new subtenant for the fitness centre space and hope to have more information available soon. A new operator will open in that location under a different membership and program model.
We remain grateful to our donors and funders, and to the members that have continued accessing our programs and facilities during these times. I am incredibly proud of our staff and volunteers who have made all the difference in terms of facing our challenges, and I’m certain that better days are ahead.
- Update - April 10, 2021
It has been a while since our last update message, and despite the signs of spring outside we are currently in the midst of another set of new restrictions brought on by the pandemic, including a temporary halt to all of our indoor fitness classes (except those in the pools) and expanded mask wearing protocols.
I would like to offer my profound thanks to our incredible team of volunteers and staff here who have been navigating these challenging conditions for over a year now, and to the many individuals and families who continue to maintain their memberships, following the rules at our facilities, accessing the services we have available, and making donations that support our ongoing programs. We are still regularly inspired by the stories of people who have returned to the Y and are living healthier, happier lives because of what we can provide. The kind wishes, cards and thank you messages are well received, and these keep us going. Volunteer week is coming up again later in April, and we will take that opportunity to continue celebrating the many contributions that help make our Y what it is.
As things improve and the vaccinations become more widespread, we look forward to welcoming more of you back and reconnecting in our communities. Please keep checking our website or the reservation app for new information or further changes. We plan to add outdoor sessions at both Westhills and Downtown starting Sunday – although class sizes will continue to be restricted by orders from the Health Authority.
The financial impact of COVID-19 on our organization has been significant, as it has with many local nonprofit organizations and businesses. Membership revenues have been slowly growing each month but are still far, far lower than pre-pandemic levels and well below what we will need for sustainable operations. The additional support and government subsidies have helped us to stay open, and we have reduced our costs as best we can without compromising service or safety. Weathering this upcoming period and bridging to our next phase are key priorities, as we also continue to plan for the future. There is still tremendous uncertainty, and we will need your help to preserve our resources and to mobilize new ones that can address the needs of our communities through our Y.
As we look forward to summer this year, Camp Thunderbird is on the minds of many kids in our region, and their parents. Unfortunately, at this point we are not expecting to host overnight camping in cabins and can accommodate only day camp and leadership development experiences with participation levels constrained by distancing requirements and transportation logistics. This being said, we hope to triple the number of campers from last year and offer an essential escape from the pandemic stresses that have had such a negative impact on so many young people. We are actively seeking donations that will help us deliver an experience that builds the confidence and fundamentally enhances the growth and development of children during the summer months. Click here to donate today.
2021 is a watershed year for our Y, and for our communities. We are tired, and daunted from the challenges we have faced, and yet we are excited and hopeful about how we will come together when the conditions allow us to do so. Your patience and support are greatly appreciated, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
- Update - December 18, 2020
2020 is nearing an end, and while we are still in the throes of many restrictions on our Y activities here (and even how we can gather with friends and families in our communities over the holidays) there is some renewed hope for 2021. The first generation of Covid-19 vaccines are now being actively delivered, several government programs and subsidies have been extended, and for the most part people are following the rules that will allow us to continue keeping infection rates on a decline. I want to thank everyone for your patience, commitment, and caring for each other. Our members, staff and volunteers have all stepped up in making the best of a very challenging time.
We are very pleased to announce that several of our low intensity group fitness classes will resume again on Monday, December 21. Please check our Y website and the reservation app for more details on the updated guidelines for these activities, and to see our new protocols in place. We know many of you have missed attending these classes (our instructors have really missed offering them) and rest assured that we have put in place protections to keep you safe while you stay healthy.
Efforts are ongoing to adapt our programming based on respect for the guidelines in place and offering as many options and services as possible. The Y website is your best source of information on what we have available and I encourage you to keep checking in as we move toward our “next normal” with more to be scheduled over time.
In other good news, we recently held our virtual grand reveal event for the Herowork radical renovation at our Y Young Moms program, with two additional housing units now opened, and with families moving in before Christmas. What a difference for these moms and their children to have brand new renovated apartments of their own for the holidays. Boxes filled with presents and necessities were also put together and presented from students at St. Michaels University School, for each of the tenant families at Young Moms and the individuals (many of whom are high school students themselves) at Pandora Apartments.
2021 will be another challenging year, with some difficult times and more changes undoubtedly ahead for our Y and for the communities we serve. I know that we will rise to the opportunities, and that working together we will become stronger and healthier. Our staff and volunteers look forward to seeing you back at our Westhills or Downtown locations when you are ready, and we encourage you to bring others along, especially as our “distancing” requirements are reduced. The Eagle Creek Y remains closed at this time and we will provide more information as any decisions are made.
The effects of this pandemic will be felt for some time, and for some families and organizations, the impacts are permanent. We mourn the losses and recognize the extent to which many individuals and families who were already marginalized have been further disadvantaged and isolated by crisis this year. We are proud to have continued providing services and support, and I am personally inspired by stories of people making great efforts to stay healthy and to make our communities stronger by participating with us or helping others. This is why our Y exists.
Please keep connected with us and stay tuned for more updates. With our AGM last week, the Annual Report is also now available now on our website.
For those that can afford a financial contribution, and with profound thanks to all who have given this year, we ask you to consider a gift to our Y this holiday season. You can check out our virtual giving tree at the link below, or just make a tax deductible donation for us to apply to the area of greatest need.
We also accept gifts of publicly traded stocks or securities, and based on market valuations being up right now, you could achieve a significant tax break for 2020, with benefits flowing to our Y. Contact us or talk to your financial advisor for more details.
- Update - November 20, 2020
The Y will be implementing all required BC Health Orders effective immediately. Review the Know Before You Go pages for detailed updates.
Read the province-wide restrictions here.
Thank you in advance for your assistance, patience and kindness with staff, volunteers and each other. We are in this together.
- Update - October 30, 2020
The season is shifting here, as we move to colder weather and shorter days, and with all of us continuing to navigate the ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19. The response from our communities here on Vancouver Island has been inspiring, in terms of the willingness to step up, make sacrifices and follow the guidance of our own Dr. Bonnie Henry in keeping transmission levels low. Thank you.
In response to guidance this week from Dr. Henry, and increased expectations around the wearing of masks in public spaces, we have added signage to our health and fitness facilities encouraging the use of non-medical masks when individuals are not able to maintain 6 ft distances. For members, we’re asking you to consider masking up when entering our facilities and when moving between areas where you can safely engage in your physically distanced activities. Wearing a mask while engaged in physical activity is not recommended. Staff will be wearing masks, except when working in physically distanced areas or engaged in physical activities themselves.
We greatly appreciate your consideration of this new recommendation (note that we’re not at the level of a mandated public health order for members at this stage) and we kindly ask for your participation.
Returning membership is growing at both our Westhills and Downtown locations but is still very low compared to our pre-pandemic levels. We would love to see more people coming back to the Y, for their health and for ours, and we ask you to share your positive experiences here to encourage others.
Our systems are regularly monitored and adapted to serve you better and more efficiently, as conditions allow and as people’s schedules start incorporating more visits to the Y. Personal coaching is now available again, private swim lessons have started, and our Home Alone and Babysitting Courses are available for registration.
Opening our change rooms last month was very well received (a reminder they are only available after your workout), our classes are getting fuller, and we are very pleased with how members have been respectfully honoring the rules while still managing to enjoy each others’ company.
In our childcare centres, social housing initiatives and community health programs, we are continuing to deliver essential services in our communities, and we greatly appreciate the kind and generous donations that keep coming in.
Starting in January, we’re planning for a new Y Outdoor School program up at Camp Thunderbird, as a supplement to home or online teacher-supported learning, delivered outside the classroom. Placing children in nature, with ‘forest school’ inspired programming and a community of their peers provides a safe and nurturing environment for their learning and development, with a lot of fun.
Last week, when the school districts had a PD day, our scheduled family swim at Westhills was almost fully booked, and while still distanced, the pool had more people in it than we’ve had since our closure. The sounds of kids playing and energy in the place had us all motivated and looking positively into a future where we find ways to come back together.
Please take care and stay safe. Check out our website or reservation app for other updates and information. You can also access Registration Services by telephone 250-386-7511 (Monday to Friday – 8:30am to 3:00pm) or by email at info@vancouverislandy.ca.
- Update - September 4, 2020
Showers & Changerooms Opening Soon
We are very pleased to report that based on the work our team has done to develop new protocols with the local Health Authority, we will be ready to open limited access to our changerooms and showers starting Wednesday September 9th at the Westhills Y. Up to 14 spaces in each of the Men’s and Women’s changerooms, and 13 Universal spaces will be made available on a first come, first serve basis.These can be used only AFTER the completion of your workout, swim, or class, not before.
We also expect changerooms to be made available at our Downtown location sometime mid-month. This will not include “Plus” amenities, such as the sauna, steam or towel service, and we will be encouraging members to try keep their usage under 10 minutes at each location so that we can allow as many people as possible.
For more details visit the Know Before you Go pages:
Re-Opening Update
In most years, summer is a less busy time at the Y. We applaud those of you staying active and healthy by getting outside and engaging in activities while respecting the importance of physical distancing, handwashing, and staying home when you are ill.
Since re-opening in July of this year, we’re continuing to see a slow and steady growth in our membership returning, though it’s still just a fraction of the usage prior to our closure. Many of you have shared your stories of how much it’s meant to you having the Y open again, and our staff and volunteers comment daily about the pride and excitement they feel from serving and connecting with you in this unique and still changing context that we’re in.
Unfortunately, our Eagle Creek facility remains closed for the time being, and we will continue to monitor the conditions related to possible re-opening at some point.
As the season changes, and we continue to adapt our offerings to serve you better while keeping everyone safe and healthy, we ask that you consider encouraging others to join you. The new VIY app and online booking system is working well, and many people are even saying it’s an enhanced experience with the additional space and less competition for equipment. We appreciate and thank you for the patience shown toward our staff team if you were a member who experienced challenges with the new app.
Private swimming lessons registration for members is now open! Click here to Register! The Y team is also working on offering personal coaching before the end of September.
Our thanks to the many individuals and funders who have continued to support our organization during this challenging time. Contributions to the Y’s housing initiatives at Young Moms’ and Pandora Youth Apartments have ensured our ongoing capacity for this work, two of our Childcare Centres are operating, the Mindfulness and Healthy Living programs have continued for youth and seniors, and Camp Thunderbird just wrapped up another successful season, albeit much smaller than other years. We’re also currently exploring some additional outdoor program ideas for kids up at Camp this fall.
This fall we hope you will consider making a charitable contribution to one of our on-going campaigns.
- Update - July 24, 2020
Our Westhills Y and Downtown Y locations are now open!
It has been incredibly heartening to welcome back members to our facilities this past week, and to watch kids in the pool or coming back from Camp Thunderbird each day! We have heard many stories from members sharing their gratitude with inspiring examples of how their physical and mental health is already improving.
Getting back on the machines, into our pool, or joining a class with others that you’ve missed is really good for you. Our community is getting stronger, and our Y is part of the next normal. As conditions change, we will continue to adapt.
Staff here have done a tremendous job in preparing the facilities and delivering programs with the safety and service to our members remaining top priority. It’s a different experience for sure, and the new technology had presented some initial challenges as we ramped up (we appreciate your patience), but we’re hearing that the Y experience is still a fabulous one and there is plenty of room for more to participate.
For those that have come back – we thank you and ask that you let others know what it’s like.
For those who are thinking about it, we encourage you join us!
As a reminder, we encourage everyone to familiarize yourselves with the know before you go sections of our website, and coming soon will be a virtual tour so you can see how we’ve made the spaces safe for you. The spacing of our equipment and classes allows for safe and comfortable access while still feeling like the Y. Still no change rooms, showers, steam, sauna, hot tubs or courts, but plenty of ways to access the Y and improve your health together with others.
To join, you the first step is to purchase your new Y membership online (or by telephone for those without internet access) using our Online Service Portal. As a reminder all memberships active at the time the Y closed in March have been cancelled. A credit has been placed on the payer’s account. Note that the payer may have credit for more than one member if they paid for multiple memberships or as part of a family. When you purchase your new membership, this credit will be used toward your initial payment, and for those not ready to return yet, the credit will remain on your account.
After purchasing a new Y membership you can then download the new VIY app to a smartphone or tablet, and start reserving times at your preferred location up to 48 hours in advance. If you have not purchased a new Y membership you will be unable to use the app properly.
For all of the details on how to use the app, make reservations and what to do if you do not have a mobile device, click here!
Need some additional assistance?
Your Y has limited staff and building access for this initial phase of re-opening. This means that unfortunately the Y will not be open for in person sales & requests. We can help you with the process, and membership sales over the phone are available for those paying with a credit card. At this time, we are unable to accept any other payment methods.
Contact by Phone – 250-386-7511
Monday – Friday
8:30am – 1:30pmContact by Email – info@vancouverislandy.ca
- Update - Reopening July 16, 2020We are excited to welcome you to the Downtown Y and Westhills Y with bookings available starting on Thursday July 16th.It’s been a long wait for many of us, but our staff are trained up for the new protocols and processes we’ve put in place, and our facilities are clean, safe and ready for you to come back. There will be some differences, including more limited access (as examples: no change rooms, showers, steam, sauna or hottubs, and a requirement for reservations with each visit), but we can assure you of smiling faces and welcoming support from our staff team. Please note, some areas that are re-opening will be delayed until next week.We greatly appreciate your patience and encourage you to familiarize yourself with the new rules and process at each facility by checking out the know before you go sections of our website. We have done everything possible to ensure we’re meeting the highest standards for hygiene and safety, and we have modified our facility and programs to facilitate safe physical distancing practices that protect the health of our communities. The stakes are high, and we’re confident that we’re doing the right things.As outlined in the last update, your previous membership has been stopped as of March 17th. Starting today, online membership sales have re-opened and you can purchase your new membership by clicking here. All members with an active membership at the time the Y closed in March have received a credit to the payer’s account. Note that the payer may have credit for more than one member if they paid for multiple memberships or as part of a family. When you purchase your new membership, the credit will be used toward your initial payment.We encourage you to show your support and rejoin your Island Y!The new YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island app is also here! Using our new app you can make your required reservation to the Downtown or Westhills Y in just a couple of simple steps. Remember you can no longer just drop in to access the Y. The app works with a smartphone, tablet or iPad. Reservations can be made 48 hours in advance.Limited children and family programs will be available by reservation through the Calendar on our Online Service Portal. These bookings are not currently available through the new VIY app.For all of the details on how to use the app, make reservations and what to do if you do not have a mobile device, click here!Need some additional assistance?Your Y has limited staff and building access for this initial phase of re-opening. This means that unfortunately the Y will not be open for in person sales, requests, cancellations etc. Limited phone-in hours begin on Tuesday July 14. We can help you with the process, and membership sales over the phone are available for those paying with a credit card. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept any other payment methods at this time.Contact by Phone – 250-386-7511Monday – Friday8:30am – 1:30pmContact by Email – info@vancouverislandy.caThank you for your consideration in a decision to purchase a membership and rejoin us. The Vancouver Island Y has been an important part of our communities here for 145 years, and we look forward to this next phase in our continued evolution. We really want you to be a part of it.
- Update - Targeted Re-opening July 16, 2020
Our team here has been working incredibly hard to prepare for our re-opening, and we are excited to announce that we are targeting our Downtown and Westhills facilities to be ready for you to return on July 16th!
Please know that we are doing everything we can to ensure that our operations will be safe, healthy and comfortable as we move carefully into this next phase. The health and well-being of our communities is why the Y exists and this drives our priorities.
There are some changes, for certain. Our new requirements are driven by guidelines from the local Health Authority and WorkSafeBC, and we have made great efforts to make several different programs and areas of the building available. We want to try and accommodate the many ways that members enjoy their time here and maintain their health. Unfortunately, some areas and programs, including our Eagle Creek location, will not be opening at this time.
Each visit will be limited to a specific activity during a scheduled period, and disappointingly there will be fewer opportunities for socializing and just spending time at the Y. As examples, our lobbies, change rooms, steam and sauna, and the racquet courts will all be closed, and showers are reserved for those using the pool.
For more details on the specific programming available, as well as our enhanced cleaning and usage protocols and the new system for making reservations, please click here.
Given the changes in our operations, and due to the difficult financial situation that we face with the new more limited capacity, and after several months of lost revenues, we are announcing changes to the Y’s membership and fee structure.
A single category of Y membership will be available, for individuals and for families to access our open facilities and programs.
Click here for more detail on the new Y membership.
All members who made a March membership payment, or those who purchased an annual membership, will receive a pro-rated credit on their account based on the remaining days in their membership when we closed on March 17th. These credits will be available toward payment of a new purchase or will remain on your account on an indefinite basis.
When you choose to return, the credit will be applied toward a membership starting at that time.
Online sales for the new Y Membership will begin on July 14th, at which time you can download a new smartphone app and start booking reservations for times to access the Y as of July 16th. Time slots for activities or programs can be booked up to 48 hours in advance and will be limited to one per day.
For those ready to return as soon as possible, in order to help us expedite faster processing of account credits and your membership purchase, it would be very helpful to let us know your intention to return ahead of time by clicking here.
We would like to ask you to consider starting your membership in July, even if you are not feeling ready to come back to visit our facilities until later. In staying with us and committing to your YMCA-YWCA membership, proudly saying “I belong to the Y!”, you reinforce that participation here is different, and important in more ways than your own individual health. Your support helps us continue strengthening our community, as we have since 1875, and it ensures that we’ll be here when you are ready to return.
Additional donations can be made, in support of the many individuals who may require financial assistance to participate, with charitable tax receipts available. To make a donation today click here.
Many of our staff will be coming back over the next couple of weeks and will be engaged in training and safety procedures to meet our new and higher standards for operating in this adapted environment. We are excited for our “next normal” here. While remaining cautious and careful, we are all looking forward to seeing you and serving you as we all become healthier and more connected again.
Check back here for regular updates as we get closer to the opening date and as conditions change.
We will send out another notice as we get closer to the opening date, and please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@vancouverislandy.ca with any further questions or concerns.
- Update - June 12, 2020
It’s been over 12 weeks since we last saw you in person at one of our facilities, and in that time the world has changed. It has been a tremendously challenging time for many in our communities, and we’ve seen some wonderful examples of people coming together to support and care for each other, while continuing to follow the advice of Dr. Bonnie Henry and our local health authorities to stay safe.
The recent protests and events south of our border are also offering us an opportunity to reflect more deeply on the systemic racism that still exists in our own communities and what we can be doing differently as individuals or through our organization.
We’ve heard from many members, volunteers and staff that they’re missing their routines, but even more so missing their friends and connections at our Y. Our thanks for participating in the recent survey. This was essential information. We miss you too.
Even though our doors have been closed, we’ve continued to serve our local communities in many ways. Y Young Moms, whose building is under renovation right now with Herowork, and Pandora Youth Apartments downtown, have been continuing to provide support and housing for vulnerable young people. Our thanks to the many donors and funders who have stepped up to help us continue providing these services and more during this challenging time.
Many of you have been staying active by getting outside or self-organizing workouts within your own bubble. Our online programs, have been providing an outlet for some, including different opportunities for your body, mind and spirit, but we know it’s not the same.
We know you’re wondering when you too can return to your Y. We’re getting ready!
Some of you may have heard that our Child Care Centres at the Westhills and Downtown locations are planning to open July 2, and we are opening registration next week for summer day camps at Camp Thunderbird that will start the week of July 20th. Camp is only happening this year because of very significant financial support that came from our community when we reached out recently. The generosity, and commitment to supporting the health and well-being of our children here is an inspiration. We are incredibly thankful on behalf of the kids (and their parents, and our staff) who will be able to experience at least some version of the magic that occurs up in the Sooke Hills each year, as it has since 1935.
We’re working to set a time in mid to late July for re-opening modified versions of our fitness and aquatic facilities at the two locations as well. Based on our current capacity and expectations we are not likely to open our Eagle Creek location before the fall and will look to provide opportunities for employees and members to return earlier at the other sites.
Specific opening dates have not yet been set, but we are very hard at work putting together the procedures, processes, programming, and staffing plans to ensure a safe and healthy environment. We want you to experience the caring level of service and sense of belonging that you have come to expect from our Y, albeit under new conditions.
Our guidelines are based on input from health experts, local officials and both our YMCA and YWCA networks to ensure that our facilities meet the highest standards for hygiene and safety. It will be different, but it will be awesome!
We look forward to sharing the details and our dates for re-opening as soon as they are established. Until then, take care, keep active, and stay tuned to our website.
- Registered Child Care Update - May 26, 2020 2 of 2
With the recent lifting of our closure order from the Provincial Health Authority as of May 19th, we have been focusing our efforts to develop plans for safely re-opening our Health, Fitness and Aquatic Centres, and our Childcare Centres.
There are many complex elements that we need to address to meet the safety requirements that have been set out, in order to ensure your health and comfort as members, and still be able to operate without compromising our longer term sustainability.
Please complete this online survey before June 2, 2020 to the best of your ability. We appreciate your participation.
- Registered Child Care Update - May 26, 2020 1 of 2
I hope that you, your friends, and your families are all doing well under the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am writing to you today to update you on the Y’s plans regarding the re-opening of our child care services, and to ask for your input as we make our next decisions.
We look forward to welcoming you back to our child care program – but at this point we do not have a definitive re-launch date. It will be a challenging path to the “next normal”.
The decision to close our Y Child Care Centres was very difficult. The potential for further transmission of this virus, while significantly mitigated by the health authority recommendations for safe operation of licensed child care facilities, is still a factor. The safety of all concerned remains the top priority in the Y’s decision-making process.
That being said, good planning and a strong sense of responsibility in our community has resulted in the Greater Victoria area enjoying a comparatively low incidence of COVID-19. Thank you for your role in that outcome.
The Government of BC has announced a phased approach to reopening the economy, and access to child care is one of the key enablers in that process. To that end, we are reviewing all of the operational recommendations and restrictions issued and promoted by WSBC, MCFD and Child Care Facilities Licensing as we explore once again offering child care services.
There are many steps to be followed to ensure that we will be able to safely deliver child care services, in a sustainable way. Please know that we will be adhering to all health and safety recommendations released by health officials, and we are further supported by best practices being developed among YMCA’s and YWCA’s from across Canada.
We will continue to work on these plans, but at this point we need your help! Every family faces their own unique circumstances which will influence their choices. We need to determine what you, the Y Child Care families, will require in the next while in terms of child care services.
A online survey is available until Monday June 1 at 5:00pm. If your family is currently registered in a Y Child Care centre and did not receive an email with the survey link please email us as soon as possible.
Our re-opening process will be determined by the results of this survey, as well as by the Y’s ability to re-start operations, in a sustainable manner, in the midst of this ever-evolving pandemic.
We appreciate your participation in the survey. It will be open until Monday, June 1st at 5:00pm.
- Update - May 14, 2020
We know many of you are really looking forward to returning – we are looking forward to seeing you.
We won’t be opening our doors until it’s safe to do so and we have the all-clear from public health authorities and our government.
You have likely heard about the BC Government’s Re Start Plan, including more specific details on the proposed phases for reopening elements of the economy and resuming certain activities in our Province. We are hard at work here, together with other YMCA’s , YWCA’s and similar service providers in our region to develop new plans and protocols that will help keep you safe when we can eventually welcome you back.
There are a few things we would like to communicate at this point.
In terms of our priorities, we are focused on people first. We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of members, volunteers and staff, as well as the overall health of our communities. We will base any decisions on the best available evidence and advice from respected sources, while always staying true to our values and striving to do the right thing.
Your Y will look and feel different when you come back. Additional safeguards will be in place, some equipment or areas may not be available right away, and the ways that you use or access our facilities may be different. Some things will be exactly as you remember them, including the welcoming smiles from our volunteers and staff, our attention to quality and service, and experiencing a sense of community that has been latent in your absence. Some things may even be better – like seeing an old friend or family member after some time away, or the thrill of meeting somebody for the first time.
Thank you for your patience. Many details are still emerging, in terms of specific operating limitations and developing best practices in consultation with others. We also recognize that conditions can change quickly, and we will need to respond to what is happening at a given point in time in our region. The learning and listening and innovation that will be necessary for success is a shared obligation between our organization and you as a member. This is a new experience for all of us and we promise to do our best.
We’re excited, and we’re cautious. The risks of opening too early, or not taking enough steps to ensure that our Y is operating safely, far outweigh the costs of waiting and doing things right. Stay tuned for more updates, in future e-mails we send along and on our website.
Thank you for your support. Many of you have stepped up during this challenging time, providing financial contributions directly to the Y, or through other channels who support us such as the Rapid Relief Fund or Herowork. As a charity, we have continued providing services at Y Young Moms and Pandora Youth Apartments, as well as online programming toward mental health outcomes for youth through Y Mind. Your ongoing support has made a tremendous difference, and your commitment to our Y will help us survive this period so we can remain a part of your community for many years to come.
My great admiration and respect goes out to the many hardworking folks we have here that will ensure a smooth opening for you, and I greatly look forward to seeing you soon – when we’re ready.
Take care, enjoy the upcoming long weekend, and please continue to follow the directions from our health authority to keep us all safe.
- Update - May 6, 2020
The only one swimming in the pool these days has been Sonny, our office dog, who has been thrilled to take a dip as part of a regular mental health break for those of us still working.Together with members of our maintenance crew, he’s helping make sure that things will be in perfect working order, safe and clean for when we’re able to welcome folks back to the Y.
As we start to think more about what re-opening will look like, we’re drawing on the many lessons from our own experience in opening new facilities, and the vast experience of our many sister organizations in the YMCA and YWCA movements. Despite all this knowledge, we also realize that operating a Y when COVID-19 transmission is still a risk will be significantly different. We’ve been using the term “next normal.”
As exciting as it is to see the progress happening as a result of everyone’s commitment to physical distancing and staying home for the past couple of months, we know that our return will be slow, careful, and require different ways of doing things. Stay tuned for more updates as we learn more about plans for phased operations, likely starting with childcare, and to be based on directives from the local Health Authority.
Our furloughed staff have been staying in touch with us, sharing examples of how they continue to keep active, engage in the community, and struggle with the challenges right now. The government and community supports available have provided some relief, and we recently recalled some staff using the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program, but we will all feel much better when the Y can generate revenues again and start bringing people back with paid work available. Our many volunteers have also shared their anticipation of returning. It will be different, and it won’t be easy, but it will be good.
Quick inspiring story from one of our members. An individual living with MS, who had been participating in the Neuro Fit program to build their strength and independence, was regularly working with Jasmine from our Y before we had closed. Since mid-March, this member has been continuing to do the exercises on her own, and recently became healthy enough to significantly shift the level of support they receive from their partner and from a home care nurse they have engaged. Jasmine shared a quote from a recent conversation, where the proudly frustrated member said, “either the nurse needs to change her expectations of me and what I need from her, or I need a new nurse! I will not be going back to who I was ever again!”
Below are a few things below you can do in the next while to help support our Y and stay engaged in the community.
Coast Capital Savings has initiated a Mothers’ Day campaign where each message posted on their Facebook page about motherhood will result in a $5 contribution to our Y for the Young Moms program – up to $2500. We’re incredibly grateful for all the support that the Y receives from Coast Capital.
You can also celebrate Mothers’ Day by signing up as volunteer for the Herowork renovation or making a direct contribution toward our Young Mom’s program. Check out the work happening at our site as they complete the demolition and get ready for the next phase.
You can donate directly through our Online Service Portal or click here.
Volunteers at Y Young Moms Herowork Renovation – a living YMCA sign!
Finally, I include a clip from a recent story on CHEK news. Luke Ferris, who leads our Camp and Outdoor Centre, was interviewed about the recent sad decision to cancel our regular programming this summer up at at Camp Thunderbird. It’s a stark reminder about the impact this pandemic is having on the lives of young people that we support and how valued our Y is in this community.
As Dr. Bonnie Henry reminds us, please keep safe and healthy, be kind and take care of each other. See you soon.
- Update - April 24, 2020
April showers returned this week in our region, greening things up a bit and offering hope for more blooms and eventual re-openings. We’re definitely still experiencing a storm here, and the realities in other communities including the recent Nova Scotia tragedy, have most of us huddled and tucked in.
Life at the Y is quiet, but busy. Our recent decision to formally cancel the scheduled programming at Camp Thunderbird this summer is weighing heavy. Many campers are disappointed, and our team of young staff and volunteers are looking at a very different summer this year, with their energies to be refocused elsewhere. The new opportunities recently announced for young people to serve and to receive support from the Federal Government during the pandemic are encouraging.
While timelines are still uncertain, we’re also starting to pivot more towards thinking about what things may look like here as we come back. It will undoubtedly be different. Until a vaccine exists for COVID-19, we’re likely to be operating in a context of increased spacing and with a new set of expectations for how we operate.
We’re also very conscious that despite the ongoing financial hardship to our Y, the risk of fully opening too early is significantly larger than the risks from staying closed.
Nonetheless, we’re hopeful. Redefining the Y is not new. We have been through many changes before, and our resilience and relevance will endure. We are still totally excited about seeing you again.
There are a few examples included below with things to do in the meantime, opportunities to contribute and ways to stay connected:
Daily Resources from your Y team for Children, Teens & Families, Adults and Older Adults
Complete our Vancouver Island Y Healthy at Home Bingo for a chance to win a free month of your membership once we re-open. Download a Bingo Card: Adults or Families
Drop off your UNOPENED hygiene products (toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, sunscreen, hand sanitizer) at one of three locations set up this weekend. More details on Facebook
Participate in the final Virtual Trunk Show for Harris Kuipers happening on Zoom on April 30 at 4:30pm Vancouver / 5:30pm Calgary / 7:30pm Toronto. You can also shop online anytime, with proceeds from sales going to support our organization and the YWCA in Calgary through HK Gives
Consider a donation to our ongoing programs – Y Young Moms, Pandora Youth Apartments or the Y-Mind mental health initiative, – or you can help support some essential building improvements at Camp Thunderbird that we’d like to do while it’s closed right now.
These contributions make a huge difference, and it feels really good when you make one. I promise.
You can use your Online Service Portal account directly or click here.
Our thanks to all of you who continue to contribute toward our work and stay connected with us. We hope to see you again soon. Say safe, stay healthy and take care of others.
- Update - April 23, 2020
Dear Camp Thunderbird Families,
I’m writing to you with some unfortunate but necessary news. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the normal Camp Thunderbird summer programs, for 2020. We believe this is the socially responsible thing to do and do not take this measure lightly. We know how disappointing this news will be, for the 1300+ campers who were looking forward to playing, learning, and growing in the forest at Glinz Lake in July and August. The health of our campers, staff, volunteers and the broader community members is always our priority.
In making this decision, we are following the advice of public health agencies (in particular the updates from Dr. Bonnie Henry), and continue to pay close attention to the evolving situation. The advice continues to recommend avoiding large group events. Camp, as we know it, is a large gathering of people with tremendous risk for COVID-19 transmission. We strongly believe that at the core of any successful camp operation is an approach to risk management that is solidly grounded in facts. To summarize, the decision to not operate our summer programs as planned stems from the known challenges and issues of COVID-19, and the complex planning and training requirements of a safe summer camp program.
Looking forward, we will continue to discuss and consider other possible ways to support our camp families and the broader community. We’ll be in touch with you if/when we have other programs and services to offer that we think will be a good fit for you. Please check back here for updates.
In terms of refunds, we will be returning 100% of payments received to date, and we will also be cancelling any future, scheduled payments.
A note from our Registration Services Team
At the time of processing all fees paid will be refunded. Refunds will be placed back to the payer’s credit card used to make payment or, in instances where the credit card on file is expired or no longer valid a refund by cheque will be mailed to the address on file. If your camper was registered for more than one camp program (and/or transportation) refunds will be applied in more than one transaction. Please note, due to staffing levels and restrictions placed by our payment processor refund processing may be delayed and might take up to 3 weeks. We appreciate your patience as we navigate this unprecedented time.
To view the status of your refund please log into your Online Service Portal account, click My Account and then List of Account Payments. When your refund has been processed you will see it listed here. This may take some time. Please note that due to reduced staffing levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Y is not able to receive telephone inquiries at this time. If you require assistance, please email Registration Services
A final thought – the YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island is a registered charity, and as a result Camp Thunderbird receives significant financial assistance to operate in any given year. This pandemic has been financially devastating for our organisation, and we’re doing everything we can to remain viable. I’ve been a part of this Y since 1994 and have never seen anything like this.
I sincerely hope that community members can stand behind Camp Thunderbird and the Y in support of us providing programs and services in 2021 and beyond. Please consider a donation to support our future. Make a donation now via your account on the Y Online Service Portal, YMCA Canada or contact me for assistance.
Be well. Take care of yourselves and those around you.
- Update - April 17, 2020
April 19, 2020 marks the start of National Volunteer Week
While most of our facilities are currently closed, the volunteer spirit is alive and well in our community. We are pleased to celebrate this essential service in its many forms.
Volunteers have been an integral part of the Y since we started. While many who contribute here tell us that they may get more than they receive, we know that the experience they help create for our members and those we support is a clear reflection of who we are. This is what community looks like.
As a great example, I know that a recently furloughed member of our staff team from the Downtown Y has been volunteering their time cooking meals at the Y Young Moms program.
Please check out the link to more stories of our volunteers. We all miss seeing them here at the Y.
Some other updates and opportunities
Membership Fees
Reminder that while we remain closed, we will not be withdrawing your monthly membership fee. All memberships are on hold. Once we have an idea of an opening date, information will be sent out, and we will begin our ramping up to operations as soon as it is safe to do so. Your fees will resume automatically once we have to re-opened the doors.
Practice Swim Lesson Skills at Home
Our friends at the Wood River Y have some practice tips for toddlers and preschoolers. Learn More…
Virtual 5k Run
The Oshkosh Y is hosting a QuaRUNtine to 5K: Virtual 5K Training & Race on Facebook
HK Gives
An initiative of Harris Kuipers, an online clothing business co-owned by Victoria artist Laura Harris and Calgary entrepreneur Shelly Kuipers that have chosen to support our organization, together with the YWCA in Calgary, as a recipient of funding from their upcoming “Trunk Sales.” Our thanks and appreciation for living their values through their business. Find out more on Facebook
Our further thanks to the many individuals and organizations that continue to make donations to the Y. These contributions help ensure that the Y we come back to is as awesome as the one we left, and that the programs we continue to operate are helping those vulnerable individuals and families we support.
To close with sage advice from Dr. Bonnie Henry, we need to be kind, we need to be calm, to help each other and stay safe.
- Update - April 9, 2020
We still miss you terribly. Next Tuesday will mark a month since our health & fitness and childcare facilities were closed.
This morning a few of us participated in a Zoom meeting with Y leaders from around the world. It was heartening to see and hear from so many individuals facing the challenges of this pandemic in different communities. We were inspired by the reaction and mobilization from organizations that are serving our most vulnerable, and we commiserated with those who are not able to provide the support and services that keep our members and communities healthy. Many Y’s are facing similar financial challenges given that a majority of our revenues stopped when we closed, and many members from around the world are sharing your experience.
We are reminded that most Y’s were born of crisis. When our Y was first formed in 1875, we served a need in our community. First for young men, and shortly thereafter for young women, the Y represented a hand up, a place to stay, and a connection to people and activities that improved their health while making the community stronger. We have shown our resilience over the past 145 years (through wars, and even pandemics) by responding to the changing needs here and expanding our services. We will weather this current crisis and continue to redefine ourselves based on the same values of caring, respect, honesty, responsibility and inclusion.
The triangles in our logo reflect a balanced and healthy life. Three lines represent Body, Mind and Spirit. While the Y is decidedly non-denominational, we still promote this balance and respect the many ways that people can achieve it. As we move into a time of various religious holidays, with Easter, Passover and Ramadan among them, we encourage you to practice with distanced and virtual alternatives as we have in our physical and mental health offerings. We will soon be all back together, and our sacrifices will be worth it.
A couple of updates and opportunities.
Volunteers Needed
Through our relationship with Herowork (who are scheduled to renovate our Y Young Moms building after the pandemic subsides) we learned that they have helped source more than 600 tents for the temporary shelter spaces being created in local parks. The organizers at Topaz Park, (Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness) are seeking volunteers to support this effort and we wanted to share the link for healthy individuals to help out and give back.
Virtual Y
We have heard from many of you who have been accessing our online sessions, and encourage you to check out our website for programs and activities for various ages and abilities, including physical and mental health. Starting Tuesday there will be daily updates in each category. You may also want to check out the Y USA’s Y 360 online offerings, or link to Y’s around the planet through the World YMCA or World YWCA
Please Give
Our housing initiatives, Y Young Moms and Pandora Youth Apartments, continue to operate and we need additional support. The participants, and past participants are facing significant challenges due to the social isolation and limited access to healthy food that is compounded by the physical distancing requirements in place.
Please take care of yourselves, and each other, and stay healthy.
- Update - April 1, 2020We have no April Fools jokes here today. Unfortunately the current situation is such that we’re all seeking normalcy rather than distractions from our usual expectations.As promised, we’re working to stay in touch with you remotely, and look forward to the time when we’re all back together at the Y. Just as with other local organizations in our communities, many of our staff have been temporarily laid off from work during this ongoing closure. We’re working to help ensure that additional government supports available can be accessed during this period, and that we are all ready to return without having our physical, emotional or financial health affected too negatively.A reminder about your fees, and a couple opportunities to join our efforts to stay active and to help support each other.
Membership Fees
While we remain closed, we will not be withdrawing your monthly membership fee. All memberships are on hold. Once we have an idea of an opening date, information will be sent out, and we will begin our ramping up to operations as soon as it is safe to do so. Your fees will resume automatically once we have re-opened the doors.
Virtual Y Fitness Challenge
The YMCA of Central Ohio has invited us to participate in their Stay Healthy – Y 600 Fitness Challenge, currently running and ends on April 23rd. Click here to get more information and to join the Vancouver Island Team. Should be fun!Y’s Young Moms and Pandora Youth Apartments
These community health programs continue to operate through these challenging times. The youth participants and their children housed in these supported facilities are already particularly vulnerable to social isolation and financial challenges. The current conditions are greatly affecting their ability to stay connected and to stay healthy.We recently received a very welcome and generous donation of some new technology for the participants in these programs. This will help enhance their access to online supports and networks and will make a tremendous difference.Currently we need additional financial support to help access healthy food choices for the program participants, and to cover the accumulating cost of increased staff support time.The need for physical distancing has greatly increased the level of support needed in a number of ways and we would welcome your donations here.Please take care of yourselves, and each other, and stay healthy. - Update - March 26 , 2020
The past couple of weeks since our closures have been the fastest and the longest that I can remember. We wanted to reach out, as we’re committed to do, in order to maintain a connection to you and help support your ongoing health as best we can.
Our Y is an integral part of the community we serve, and our facilities are communities unto themselves.
We miss you. Our thoughts are with you, and we all look forward to a future state when we are back at the Y. We miss laughing with each other, cheering each other on, and contributing to the positive health of ourselves and our community. We miss looking out at the kids from our childcare centers playing in the yard or a park nearby.
While certainly not the same experience, one of the resources that we wanted to share with you is a link to Y Thrive Home
This resource has been developed by Canadian Y’s to allow members to continue with a workout during this time that Y’s across Canada are closed. It is a challenging time, but we are heartened by all the examples of people still coming together to support each other, and the innovation that is happening.
We are in the process of gathering a variety of additional resources to help you pass the time and to stay with us – please check the website early next week.
Stay safe, and healthy.
- Camp Thunderbird Update - March 25, 2020
We hope that you and your family are safe, in good health and not too negatively impacted by the circumstances around the COVID-19 responses. As with many local nonprofits, it’s certainly been a challenging time here at the Y, including the recent closure of our Health & Fitness Centres and Child Care Centres on March 17th. Spring sessions for school groups at Camp have also been cancelled. At this time, we are continuing with our planning and preparation for summer camp and are monitoring the situation daily.
At this time, we will continue to process scheduled payments for summer camp. We understand the financial pressures that families are facing. If in the future a decision is made to cancel any of our summer camp operations, we will offer full refunds even if it is after the refund deadline of May 1st.
During this rapidly evolving situation, we remain committed to the health, safety, and well-being of our staff, volunteers, members, participants and families. This work includes continuous communication with local health authorities, monitoring of updates from provincial and national governments, coordination with our municipal partners across the region, discussions with our peers across the country, and conversations with our dedicated staff team.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We hope to see you soon.
Please note due to the high volume of requests the YMCA-YWCA is not answering phone inquiries at this time.
If it is within your means to do so, please consider a charitable donation during this challenging time, to help ensure that we all have a Y to come back to.
Donate to Camp Thunderbird - Update - March 16, 2020
Our charity is responding to COVID-19 across all of the programs we deliver. The health of our staff, volunteers, participants, and broader community members is our priority.
We are following the advice of public health agencies and continue to pay close attention to their evolving updates.
Based on the most current information and guidance available, the Vancouver Island Y has temporarily, but indefinitely:
- Closed all Health, Fitness and Aquatic Centers (Downtown Y, Eagle Creek Y, Westhills Y)
- Closed Licensed Child Cares
- Suspended all programs and services including Healthy Living and Mental Wellness
Our Housing programs remain open.
This means that, until further notice, with the exception of housing programs, all programs and services of the Y are closed.
The Y will not be charging fees during this disruption in program and service delivery. Here’s what you need to know:
If you are a Y Health, Fitness & Aquatics Member
All memberships and additional services (such as towel service or plus changerooms) payments for future services have been stopped effective March 17, 2020.
Memberships will be set to automatically resume when we are able to re-open. We will communicate reopening dates when they become available. Any member that made a payment and only received partial service because of the closure will be credited.
If you have recently submitted a request to cancel your membership and still want it to be cancelled, please complete a new cancellation confirmation form. Without this new confirmation your Y membership will not be cancelled as previously requested and will restart with all other Y members when we are able to re-open.
Click to Reconfirm Cancellation
Annual members who have paid for a full year will have their memberships extended for the duration of the closure. No further action is required.
Members with swimming lesson registrations will continue to keep their timeslot during this closure. Please do not complete the Missed Swim Lesson form.
If you have registered for a Y workshop or advanced aquatic course
Anyone registered for a workshop, additional personal coaching sessions or an advanced aquatic course that has been disturbed by the closure, will receive a credit (pro-rated if applicable) on their account and will be able to re-register once new dates have been scheduled. No further action is required.
If you are a Y Child Care family
All child care payments for future services have been stopped effective March 17 . Any child care family that made a payment and only received partial service because of the closure will be credited.
If you are a valued donor to the Y
All monthly donations will continue unless requested. Now more than ever, your contributions to our charitable work are greatly needed and appreciated at this time.
We ask for your patience as we begin to process large numbers of payment adjustments. We are aware that some automatic payments may have already been processed. We recommend you visit https://vancouverislandy.com for the latest updates. Due to the high volume of requests, we are unable to respond to phone inquiries at this time. As a result, if you need to reach us, please email info@vancouverislandy.ca
As always, we are committed to keeping you informed about the Y’s response to COVID-19 as it unfolds. Your membership in our organization is greatly valued. We are hopeful that this unique and unprecedented time will represent an opportunity for our community to come together and become stronger as a result of our collective efforts.
- Update - March 16, 2020 2 of 2
We understand that this is a chaotic time for all of us, and we appreciate your patience as we continue to provide updates and information. At the Y, we’re committed to building strong individuals, families and communities, which means we’re working hard to keep our branches open and safe so you can pursue wellness in the long and short term.
We are open with a reduction in programming.
If you are feeling well and wish to come to the Y we welcome you to do so. If you are ill or have traveled internationally, please stay home for the health and safety of all. We have required this of our staff and volunteers.
While facing this unprecedented circumstance we are taking the following actions to enable social distancing and are following updated Health Authority recommendations to limit groups to maximum 50 people, we have:
- Limiting group fitness classes
- Decreased capacity of small group classes and training
- Limiting pool capacity
- Increased signage to remind people of social distancing
- Update - March 13, 2020 1 of 2
During this unprecedented time, the Y is committed to maintaining a healthy environment and supporting the health of our community. Our leadership staff are adjusting our practices and making decisions based on the information available. As information changes so will our practices and decisions.
We are continuously monitoring how we operate programs and our facilities daily. A Risk Assessment Team of senior leadership staff has been formed, who are monitoring the situation closely and will be guided by Health Authorities as we make decisions about Y programs and services. We will communicate through email and our website should there be the need to close our facilities
Cleaning Practices
We expect you are seeing Y staff out and about cleaning frequently touched surfaces regularly. We have standardized the use of cleaning products known to be effective against corona virus and tested their strength to ensure it meets the required standard.
Programs
All group exercise, swim and child/youth programs are running as currently scheduled. Child Care programs continue to operate as scheduled.
Membership
Members who choose not to attend the Y during this time are able to put their membership on hold or cancel as per current hold/cancellation policies.
Communication
We have increased signage and messaging to build awareness and adherence to general health and flu prevention guidelines.
We are encouraging all members, patrons, participants, staff and volunteers to stay at home if they are feeling unwell and follow proper protocol if they have recently returned from travel [following Health Authority recommendations]
If you have any questions regarding COVID-19, please contact the local health authorities.
The Y recognizes that this situation is constantly evolving and is committed to staying informed about the situation, taking our guidance from public health agencies and implementing any required measures to prevent the spread of illness at the Y. We will be sure to keep you updated as things develop and if additional measures are implemented.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping to maintain a healthy and safe environment for everyone in our Y community.
- Update - March 2020
We are pleased to share with you that we have recently entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent with Jawl Properties to formally explore the feasibility of co-locating a new Y for downtown Victoria in their proposed commercial development at a site on the corner of Blanshard and View streets – currently the Capitol 6 Theatres. Some of the Y’s long-time members may recall that this proposed location is actually the former home of a Victoria YMCA, prior to the merging of the YMCA and YWCA in the 60’s at our current site. This announcement represents the culmination of a great deal of hard work by current and previous Board members, and our former CEO, Jennie Edgecombe. This is a very exciting opportunity for all involved.
Jawl Properties has deep roots in our community, and their reputation for professional excellence and for creating landmark projects is widely recognized and respected. They also share our values, which has been key in our criteria for decision making. This includes a commitment to building strong, healthy communities for people of all ages and abilities. Our goal is to realize a modern Y facility as part of a new legacy building that will shape Victoria’s future and we will continue to serve members and citizens as we have since 1875.
It is important to note that the Letter of Intent does not reflect a formal commitment to proceed, but does commit both parties to undertake the necessary due diligence to better understand the opportunity, and to prove out the financial viability for both the Y and Jawl Properties. This detailed review will take place over the next six months and will help inform and refine our mutual development goals. Assuming both parties are satisfied with the viability of this co-location tenancy, we will be an integral part of a redevelopment application process that Jawl Properties will make to the City of Victoria seeking approval to proceed.
All this to say, we are very pleased and excited about the potential here, and these are very early days in a much longer process.
In 2025, the Vancouver Island Y will celebrate 150 years of providing health, wellness, recreation and family services in our region. Our goal is to welcome the next phase in a modern landmark facility that meets the emerging needs of our growing and changing population in Victoria’s downtown.
There will be future opportunities to provide your input and ideas. While we are moving ahead with optimism, we along with Jawl Properties must be confident in the viability of this opportunity.As we move forward through this process, we will continue to post updates on our website, in newsletters or signage in our downtown facility.
- Update - July 2018
Downtown Y Update – Exciting News to Share!
As you know, with the support of Colliers, we have been exploring the future of the Downtown Y with the goal to ensure we continue to provide childcare, health and fitness services and programs for our members, participants and the community for the next 50 years in a new, modern facility. The Board reviewed several opportunities to remain on site at 851 Broughton and renovate in partnership with a developer, as well as options to sell the building and relocate with a development partner.
We are very pleased to announce that we have sold 851 Broughton to Concert Real Estate Corporation (Concert). The sale means that we can now engage with other development partners regarding a new Y location in the downtown core. The sale strengthens our ability to engage in the process of negotiating our relocation and allows us to remain in operation at our current location for up to 7 years. This is an ideal scenario. We can now shift our focus to planning for a new Downtown Y location. A new modern facility will ensure that the Y remains a relevant and integral part of the Victoria community for future generations.
What does this mean now and moving forward?
It is business as usual with our programs and services without interruption as we have a 7-year leaseback condition within the sale agreement. As we move forward with our planning, we will be exploring how we deliver our programs and services, and we will also be exploring the potential for new services and programs to better serve our growing and evolving community. We also have sufficient time to develop an informed operations plan and transition plan. This is an exciting time for all of us and we will be seeking input from our participants, members, employees and community partners to help inform our future plans over the coming years.
Congratulations to Concert and to all Y participants, members, employees and community partners! The Y is very proud to be part of the revitalization and renewal taking place across Victoria. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm. We will keep you posted with regular updates.
- Update - March 2018
As previously announced, the Y is actively exploring options for a new downtown Victoria YMCA – YWCA. The Y engaged Colliers International to help assess market opportunities and a request for proposals was issued at the end of August 2017. Round one resulted in some interesting possibilities and completed at the end of November. As part of the due diligence process and to ensure a thorough evaluation of our options had taken place, the Board asked Colliers to go back to the market for a second time in January 2018. Round two completed in February and a short list of proposals was selected for further review and evaluation. This process is underway and further updates will be provided over the next few months. This is an exciting time as the Y looks forward to its future in Victoria for the next 145 years.
- Update - January 2018
As you know the Y is actively exploring options for a new downtown Victoria YMCA – YWCA. As previously announced, the Y engaged Colliers International to help assess market opportunities. Colliers issued a request for proposals at the end of August, and round one – which resulted in some interesting possibilities – completed at the end of November. The Board has asked Colliers to go back to the market for a second time in January as part of the due diligence process and a thorough evaluation of our options.This is to confirm the process for the downtown Victoria YMCA- YWCA property has not concluded as the YMCA-YWCA continues to explore all options to advance their goal of a new facility in the downtown core through;
- redevelopment partnership on the existing site
- sale of existing property, and partnership in a complementary development or
- sale of existing property and re-location in the downtown core
We expect to review offers and expressions of interest by Spring 2018 and we will provide informational updates as opportunities present themselves. In 2015, a needs assessment was conducted which highlighted issues and opportunities as well as the progression of the Y’s role in the community. As the downtown community has continued to evolve and change since then, we will be sending a survey to program members next month to ensure we capture feedback and ideas on the social impacts and needs of a growing urban population.
This information will ensure the Y remains a relevant charity and the new facility serves as a catalyst to serve the changing needs of the community for the next 50 years. When the survey results are tabulated the Y will invite program members to review and discuss the findings.
- Update - September 2017
The YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island has engaged Colliers International (Colliers) to explore potential opportunities for a new building with new facilities in the downtown core. As noted in our previous announcement, nothing changes for our staff or our members while Colliers identifies interested parties and brings forward options for our consideration. We anticipate that Colliers will present proposals to the Board for review by the end of the year. Proposals will outline opportunities for us to redevelop our facility as part of a larger development on our existing property, or, alternatively, a sale agreement that includes a viable relocation and new building opportunity in the downtown area. In the event we are successful in finding a redevelopment partner, the YMCA-YWCA will have a leaseback option for 5 years with a possible 5-year extension. We are committed to keeping staff and members updated as we move forward.
- Update - August 2017
The Victoria Y on Broughton Street is now 55 years old. For more than a decade, the Board has contemplated our aging facility and in 2012 and 2015, undertook a needs assessment and facilities study. That assessment highlighted both issues and opportunities as well as the progression of the Y’s role in our community. We know that we have exciting opportunities ahead. As we look to our future, we also know we have important factors to consider:
- Our current facilities are not completely accessible to people with disabilities and do not offer universal change rooms. As such, they do not reflect some of the key social values that define our community.
- We are fast-approaching the time when we must make some important and costly maintenance investments. Renovations will trigger very costly seismic upgrade requirements and our current space configuration is very inefficient.
In consideration of all of these factors, we have come to the realization that a new building with new facilities in the most desirable option.
- The YMCA-YWCA is committed to remaining in the Downtown core.
- We will continue business as usual at our current site for at least five years and possibly longer.
The YMCA-YWCA has engaged Colliers International to assist with the exploration of our opportunities. At this point, Colliers have prepared and will be releasing a Request for Proposals to potential interested parties. Nothing will change for our members while Colliers identifies interested parties and brings forward options for our consideration. Potential proposals may allow us to redevelop our facility as part of a larger development on our existing property, or, alternatively, a sale agreement that includes a viable relocation and new building opportunity in the downtown area. In the event we are successful in finding a redevelopment partner, the YMCA-YWCA will have a leaseback option for 5 years with a possible 5-year extension.
It is important to us that our staff and members receive regular updates as we move forward. We expect to receive offers and expressions of interest by the end of 2017 and we will ensure that we provide informational updates as opportunities present themselves.
- Update - July 2017
As our Region has grown and changed, the Y has evolved to meet and strengthen the development of healthy communities.In 2016, we opened the Westhills Y in partnership with Westhills and the City of Langford delivering health, fitness and aquatic programs and childcare services. We also opened a satellite facility at Eagle Creek Village in View Royal focusing on a range of fitness programs and childcare services. It’s now time to explore the future of our primary location, the Downtown Victoria Y at 851 Broughton Street, where the Y has been in operation for the past 55 years.
The Board has contemplated the Downtown Y’s facilities. A facilities study and needs assessment were undertaken in 2012 and 2015 respectively which highlighted issues and opportunities as well as the progression of our role in the community. As we look to the future with a desire to remain relevant, viable and accessible to all citizens, we are considering our options in the downtown core. The Y is a charity, and the not-for-profit organization owns the property and facilities at 851 Broughton. The Board believes that it is prudent now to formally explore the strong real estate market and seek out innovative partnerships and redevelopment opportunities to position the Y in downtown Victoria for generations to come.
What this looks like, we don’t know. We are simply letting everyone know that we are formally exploring future opportunities for the greater benefit of everyone. Our members, our volunteers, our employees and families of all ages who participate in our programs are our priorities in all future considerations.