RESOLUTION NO. 2018OPPOSING CLOSURE OF THE POTTSTOWN YMCA
BY THE POTTSTOWN BOROUGH COUNCIL
WHEREAS, the Pottstown YMCA has served the borough of Pottstown since 1880; and
WHEREAS, the Pottstown YMCA, through two mergers, is now a branch of the Philadelphia
Freedom valley YMCA; and
WHEREAS, the avowed mission of the Philadelphia Freedom YMCA, a non-profit
organization, is to strengthen communities, making sure that everyone, regardless of age, income
or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive; and
WHEREAS, the Philadelphia Freedom YMCA seeks to nurture the potential of
every child and teen by supporting their unique youth development journey through holistic
programming; and
WHEREAS, the Philadelphia Freedom YMCA provides child care and early learning
programs to nurture child development by providing safe and healthy places to learn
foundational skills, develop healthy, trusting relationships, and build self-reliance through the
Y values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility; and
WHEREAS, the Philadelphia Freedom YMCA specifically seeks to close the
achievement gap for low-income youth to ensure every child has an opportunity to envision
and pursue the best possible future; and
WHEREAS, the Philadelphia Freedom YMCA encourages healthy lifestyles through
fitness activities, including sports and recreation, and does so in its Pottstown facility which
houses two swimming pools, a gymnasium, running track, fitness room, and other amenities; and
WHEREAS, the Philadelphia Freedom YMCA is committed to a spirit of service by uniting
individuals from all walks of life to participate in, and work for, positive social change; and
WHEREAS, two-thirds or more of Pottstown students come from low-income families and
minority families; and
WHEREAS, the Borough of Pottstown has one of the lowest median incomes in
southeastern Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Pottstown has the 3rd highest real estate tax effort in the Commonwealth, which
its citizens have endured to provide a comparable educational experience to other public school
districts; and
WHEREAS, The Pottstown YMCA provides such services to Pottstown students as free
swimming lessons for all 3rd graders and free memberships to all 7th graders; and
WHEREAS, the Pottstown YMCA is centrally located in a walkable and bikeable
community, immediately adjacent to the Pottstown High School — Middle School complex,
allowing students to access the facility without the use of a car; and
WHEREAS, the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA has grown exponentially since its
creation in a 2013 merger, and since then has completed new facilities in Haverford and Upper
Perkiomen, with a $30 million YMCA building under construction in Upper Moreland; and

 WHEREAS, YMCA officials have stated that profits from their highly successful
facilities in suburban areas allow the YMCA to fulfill its mission of offering programs to all
residents, regardless of their ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, YMCA officials acknowledge that some YMCAs will cost more money to
operate than they bring in as revenue, and recognize the YMCA's obligation to subsidize those
branches that are financially challenged; and
WHEREAS, the YMCA parent organization announced on Nov. 21, 2017 that it was closing
its Pottstown facility as of June 29, 2018, without any input from or prior warning to the
Pottstown community; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Pottstown Borough Council adamantly
opposes the closure of the Pottstown Branch of the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA, and
further opposes alternatives that result in services and programs being taken out of the Borough
of Pottstown.
ENACTED AND RESOLVED this 9th day of April, A.D., 2018.
THE BURGESS AND TOWN COUNCIL
OF THE BOROUGH OF POTTSTOWN
BY: ___________________________________
Dan Weand, President
ATTEST: ____________________________________
Virginia L. Takach, Secretary
Approved this _____day of

___________________________________
Stephanie A. Henrick, Mayor