One of the Montreal YMCAs is closing its doors this spring after 30 years in operation.
The Guy-Favreau Complex YMCA will shut down on May 31.
The YMCAs of Quebec said it could not afford to renew the lease on the space which is owned by the federal government.
The main mission of the facility was to serve the local Chinese community, which had suffered from numerous expropriations in the area.
The rent had originally been set at a symbolic $1 per year, but that changed a decade ago.
The Y had been running at a deficit since then.
YMCA Quebec President Stephane Vaillancourt said they tried to work out a new partnership with the city, Montreal's public health department and the local social services centre, but couldn't' find a deal in time.
The closure comes despite having between 2,200 and 2,400 members.
Vaillancourt said the Y is much more than a place to work out: it's a community.
“People are telling us, ‘You've saved my life.’ We have testimonials, people telling us ‘You saved my life.’ And saving a life or making people more healthy, it's not just about training, it's about connections you establish,” he said.
