A Cornerstone of the Cumberland Community
The Cumberland YMCA was founded in 1873, 29 years after the first YMCA was started by Sir George Williams in London, England, and 19 years after the association first came to this country. One year later, in 1874, it recorded its first charter and was located in the Edwards Building at 98 Baltimore Street.
The Ladies Auxiliary of the Cumberland YMCA was formed in 1890. Through the ensuing years, the Auxiliary moved to Liberty Street before locating in the Revere House (Kenneweg Building) at 162 Baltimore Street.
In 1893, the Articles of Incorporation were filed and recorded and a constitution was adopted. A year later, a new facility at 129 Baltimore Street was built, giving the YMCA its first permanent Cumberland home. According to History and Highlights of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Cumberland, Maryland, by James Bishop, “The building was three stories in height. The first floor was rented to George C. Schwarzenbach and Sons. The second floor contained the administrative offices, library and game rooms. The gymnasium occupied the third floor and had a running track around the balcony.” The YMCA expanded and added two stories to house 30 rooms in 1910.
Following World War I, the YMCA was considered too small for Cumberland. In 1918, property was purchased on the corner of Baltimore Street and Baltimore Avenue for construction of a new building. A campaign was launched in 1923 to raise $360,000, and along with the $105,000 generated from the sale of the old building, there was enough to begin construction. The cornerstone was laid in April 1925 and the building opened one year later. The new facility housed a cafeteria, reading room, library, swimming pool, gym, 71 dormitory rooms, locker rooms, billiard rooms, offices and program space.
But the YMCA suffered through financial difficulties from 1926 until 1941. It was forced to take a mortgage and in 1932 could not pay its dues to the National Council. Finally, in 1941, Edmund S. Burke, President of Kelly Springfield Tire Company, became chairman of a campaign that raised over $36,000, enough to make a sizeable payment on the mortgage. A year later, Mr. Burke headed a reorganization committee that led the way out of debt and a renewed interest in the YMCA.
In the 1950s, space in the YMCA was reallocated to different programs and, in 1960, the YMCA opened a fitness center. In 1967, the main entrance was remodeled.
During the 1970s, the O’Neal House for Alcohol Rehabilitation was established. The Juvenile Holdover Center was located on the second floor.
And, the YMCA opened the Allegany County Girls Group Home.
In 1984, the YMCA established after-school childcare and in 1989 began a GED program. By 1990, the full-day childcare program had grown to become the largest in Western Maryland. In 1991, the Y was chosen as a site of High School Alternative Education. In 1992, the YMCA took over management of Dan’s Mountain State Park swimming pool.
In 1993, the YMCA Board of Directors voted to pursue a campaign for a new facility. The Allegany County Commissioners donated land adjacent to the old Kelly-Springfield site.
In 1994 the YMCA launched the Capital Campaign to raise the funds to help make the dream of a new YMCA come true. The Campaign produced an unprecedented $3 million dollars in pledges. The support of the community was phenomenal. These years also saw the securing of a tax credit deal that would help make the renovation of the Downtown YMCA possible.
1996 marked the groundbreaking, construction and completion of the Riverside YMCA.
July 14, 1997 was declared Grand Opening day. The excitement of the community was evident by the hundreds of people who came to see and utilize the new facility. Many inquired about and ultimately signed up for memberships. The facility included a state of the art ice arena, gymnasium, wellness center, warm water pool, main pool, sauna and steam room.
As promised to the community, the renovation/construction of the Downtown YMCA began in 1997.This phase continued through 1998, with services and housing being carefully relocated within the building so as not to lose even one step of maintaining the mission of the YMCA. January 4, 1999 marked the ribbon cutting on the newly renovated, historic Downtown YMCA. The facility, now known as the Baltimore Avenue Apartments, houses The Family Center, infant, toddler and pre-school childcare, a gymnasium, 11 low-income housing apartments for transitioning families from welfare to self sufficiency, and 30 low-income, single occupancy rooms for males.
In 2004, after significant yearly operating losses, the Board of Directors began to explore the possibility of closing the ice area located at the Riverside facility. The decision to transform the ice arena wasn’t made easily or quickly. The ice arena encompassed 40 percent of the Y’s programmable space and previously accounted for 45 percent of the organization’s energy costs, 51 percent of all electrical costs, and 19 percent of the gas costs. At that time, only 10 percent of the people who used the Y came to the arena. In April 2006, the Board announced that the ice arena would be closed and that the space would be reconfigured to meet other needs. The Group Fitness Studio was created in 2010 and currently provides the space for over 60+ group fitness exercise classes offered on a weekly basis as well as programming space.
