PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Family YMCA held a soft opening ceremony to introduce the organization's new basketball court and walking track to its patrons on Tuesday evening. 

 

The basketball court is narrowly finished as it is still awaiting a scoreboard and bleachers that will seat approximately 200 people. 

 

Organization leaders and YMCA patrons gathered in the newly renovated basketball court to cheer on raffle winner Owen Joseph as he took the first shot.

 

Owen, 12, said the new court provides a space for younger kids to come get exercise, stay fit, and be entertained. 

 

"It gives us good teamwork and values and Owen has been playing basketball since he was in kindergarten," Owen's mother, Casey Joseph, said.

 

"He plays travel. So we're looking forward to the tournament next weekend, so we'll keep going."

 

The new track provides community members a chance to exercise inside and gives running teams a chance to keep the sport active during the winter months. 

 

"As runners, it gives us a place to do some winter training, which traditionally has only been done outdoors. So we have a combination of facilities here, including this indoor running space, the pool, the cardio rooms, and there's an auditorium where we put in some fitness classes," Berkshire Thunder Track Club coach Albert Najimi said

 

"So it allows us to create some programming to keep runners running, which is traditionally a fall and spring sport to keep them active and fit and healthy in the winter and give them a place to do some training."

 

Alexandra Case, a teacher at Mount Greylock Regional School, said she is not from the area and was used to having an indoor space for track teams in the winter. She said she is happy that this area has a space like that now as well. 

 

The project is the third phase of the organization's four phase Full of Possibilities Campaign, also referred to as the Pittsfield Renovation Project. 

 

The $12.4 million overhaul of the North Street building is designed to improve the resources that the YMCA can provide to all members of the community, CEO and Executive Director of the Berkshire Family YMCA Jess Rumlow said. 

 

"What we like to recognize is that this project is really about everybody in the community. So there's something for everyone. The YMCA is 'cradle to cane' is what we like to say."

 

There is something for everyone, she said, including day care, fitness classes, aquatic exercises, volleyball, pickleball, a safe place to walk or run in the winter months, and more.

 

Providing these resources to the community and being welcoming is very important to the organization, Pittsfield Branch Director Kayla McNeice said.

 

This mission is one of the reasons membership costs were reduced right after COVID-19 and financial aid offered to those who can not afford the cost. 

 

"We never turn anybody away so if there's someone that's going through hardship and needs help with the membership, we reach out to them. Having access to these facilities at a reasonable price is what the community needs," McNeice said.

 

The YMCA provides a place for a diverse group of people to mingle so individuals have a chance to interact with individuals they otherwise would not have a chance to, McNeice said. 

 

The project has been in the planning stages since 2017 and broke ground in November 2021. A final $2 million in funding is still being raised. Donations can be made here. 

 

"I think it was so important for our community, because this is a long process and having four phases made it that we were able to still continue to operate and be open and serve our community's needs," McNeice said

 

Funds were raised with the help of various local organizations, tax credits, donations, and contributions as well as a $1 million child-care facility grant from the Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund.

 

The Pittsfield provided $555,000 in funding with grants including the Community Preservation Act, American Disabilities Act, and American Rescue Plan. 

 

The first phase of the project was the renovation of the fitness center. The new fitness center was originally the old basketball court and now features natural light and state of the art equipment. 

 

A goal had been to bring back historical elements of the 1909 building so windows that were bricked up in the 1960s were reopened to fill the new fitness center with natural lighting. 

 

Phase two of the project was the renovation of the child-care center, which now consists of preschool rooms, toddler rooms, infant rooms. In addition, the YMCA offers after school programming. There are open slots and applications can be submitted here.  

 

Prior to the renovation, child care was scattered throughout the building but is now concentrated into one section to improve security. 

 

Many visitors commended the new renovations, remarking on how beautiful and impressive it was.

 

"I work in the community and I refer as many clients as I can here. The staff here is amazing. This new rebuild is amazing. The classrooms are amazing. It's just great," state Department of Children and Families employee Halima Young said. 

 

The layout of each room is different because it is a historic building and in an effort to maximize the student-teacher ratio. 

 

The space caters to a variety of children ranging in skill level and personality types including quiet spaces, sensory walls, mobility improvement games, and more. 

 

"We wanted to make sure that throughout our child care there were opportunities for us to connect with kids who maybe needed a little bit of transition out of the classroom," Rumlow said.

 

"[Students] who get overwhelmed and overstimulated were able to use staff in a quieter setting so that we can get them to transition back into their classroom."

 

Many aspects of the renovation maintained the historical elements of the building including a fireplace, and original crown molding. 

 

In the final phase of the campaign, the YMCA will be bringing the building up to code to meet American Disabilities Act standards. 

 

The building had not been renovated since the 1980s so there are a lot of aspects that need to be brought up to code. 

 

Next the men's locker rooms will be renovated, transitioning one of the other locker rooms into a community locker room space, and bringing the stairs, railings, and flooring up to code. The phase is projected to wrap up in the first quarter of the year. 

 

More information on the YMCA here.