100 Years Strong - YMCA of Edmonton, AB - YMCA Canada

Strong Programs
Education & Employment
1900
The Young Men’s
Institute expanded
its programs to
include a debating
club, instruction in
mathematics and
violin lessons and a
hockey team.
1907
Typical programs
included Bible
classes, men’s
gymnasium classes
and Leaders’ Corps
classes. The
education Committee
offered bookkeeping,
French
conversation,
English for
foreigners, First Aid
to the injured,
architectural
drafting, arithmetic,
and commercial law.
1908
The YMCA as a
public service
operated a boarding
house registry and
an employment
department.
1909
The University of
Alberta in cooperation
with
Robertson College
and Alberta College
established
“Intercollegiate”
YMCA.
1921
The use of the hut
was granted to the
Public Library for
Children’s Story
Hour. So began the
long term use of
this temporary
facility for “Y”
programs.
1969
YMCA programs
were being carried
out in King Edward
Park and Allendale
Schools by South
Edmonton Y’s Men’s
Club and the South
Rotary Club and in
the summer at a
city camp.
1908 Forty dormitory spaces were
located on the 3rd and 4th floors. Rooms
were available to Association members for
$10 to $12 per month.
1912 The “Y” responded to the need
for a growing number of young men
requiring housing by purchasing and setting
up ten extra beds in a meeting room to
handle the overflow in the dormitory.
1972
The Edmonton
YMCA began
operating an
employment
program for slow
learning adults.
1973
Through Priority
Employment
Program grants the
“Y” was able to
reach out to young
people at the
Griesbach Youth
Centre, M.E. Lazert
School, Queen
Elizabeth School
and Victoria
Composite School.
1977
Kinder Kids Karavan
a mobile Physical
Education Program
for pre-schoolers
helped the “Y” to
have a presence in
the community
outside of its
buildings as well.
1985
The YMCA invested
in a new facility to
house an innovative
series of programs
and named it the
YMCA Enterprise
Centre. The Centre
participated in
computer assisted
upgrading,
employment
preparation classes,
social club activities
and leadership
development events.
1987
The Edmonton
YMCA began an
employment training
program for
immigrant women
refugees which
focused on living
skills, daily English
and employment.
1938 Number of dormitory beds:
54 and average occupancy: at 38 per night
for the year.
1941 17,155 bed nights occupied.
1945 Although accommodation in
private homes had been limited, the Desk
Clerks were able to direct several hundred
young soldiers in private accommodations
in the community.
1976 YMCA occupancy rate was 97.3%.
1977 YMCA Residence in the
Downtown YMCA served an increasing need
for short term accommodation were both
safe and economic. More than 90% of our
105 rooms were occupied each night.
1991
100 Years Strong We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.
The “Y” delivered its
first workshop with
the Montana Indian
Band in Hobbema,
Alberta. Since then
over 100 native
Canadians have
benefited from
similar workshops.
1992
The Edmonton YMCA
and Edmonton
Catholic Schools
piloted the Fresh
Start program. That
year YMCA Youth
Workers provided
counseling to more
than 200 youth and
Edmonton Catholic
Schools provided an
alternative high
school program (at
the YMCA Enterprise
Centre).
1993
The YMCA joined the
City of Edmonton’s
Safer Cities Initiative,
“Partners for Youth”.
2003
Education Support
Programs such as
the YMCA Kids’
Club, an afterschool
program
providing literacy
development and
recreational
activities for
Edmonton Public
Schools inner-city
elementary children,
help teach the
values of caring,
honesty, respect
and responsibility.
2006
The YMCA of
Edmonton, through
the Enterprise
Centre, collaborated
on a five year
research project
called Families First
Edmonton. This
project arose out of
a shared desire to
find the best way to
help families with
low incomes access
existing programs
and services.
& Transitional Housing
2002 The Straight From the Heart
Capital Campaign was set up to raise
$26 million. The plan’s projects included
YMCA Transitional Housing.
2005 The Winter Mat Program offered
in collaboration with city centre housing
agencies and the Edmonton Housing Trust
Fund, provided more than 1,600 bed nights
for those in need.
2007 Today our four-floor housing
facility has more than 100 rooms and still
serves young men just getting on their feet.
However, we also serve women, families,
tourists - anyone who is looking for safe,
affordable accommodation.