When Rachel’s son was diagnosed with a rare disease during the pandemic, many of the supports her family relied on vanished overnight. But the Niagara West YMCA in Grimsby stayed open and ready to help. “The YMCA was still open and thriving,” she says. “So, we joined the YMCA and utilized their pool for hydrotherapy for my son every single day.” For the past five [...]
A 13-year member of the Niagara West YMCA, Don currently completes a full-body workout of 100,000 pounds three times a week, a routine he’s followed consistently for the past five to six years.
There’s something powerful about a lacrosse stick in a child’s hands — the feel of a new skill, the joy of movement, and the quiet confidence that builds with every pass and cheer. At the Niagara West YMCA, a unique partnership with Lacrossing Barriers is creating just that kind of spark. Focused on making sports accessible to children of all abilities, this program invites young athletes into an inclusive space [...]
How One Instructor Sparked a New Wave of Wellness at Niagara West YMCA Sometimes, traditional fitness classes don’t meet everyone’s needs. At the Niagara West YMCA, Tamara—a creative and caring instructor—recognized a gap and stepped in to fill it. What started as a one-on-one pool session has grown into a thriving small-group program that inspires members, builds confidence, and creates new connections. It all began with Christine. Living with [...]
Bridging Research and Community: The YMCA-Brock Collaboration on Physical Literacy At the YMCA of Niagara, we believe in creating opportunities for every child to grow, learn and thrive through movement and play. Our recent collaboration with the Brock University Centre for Healthy Youth Development through Sport is a testament to this mission, demonstrating how partnerships can drive meaningful change in our community. This multi-year initiative has closely examined the YMCA’s [...]
From Program Participant to People Leader From her first swim lesson to leading the YMCA of Niagara’s people and culture initiatives, Connie’s lifelong journey with the YMCA is one of growth, resilience, and dedication. Beginning as a young swimmer hesitant to get her face wet, she overcame countless challenges to become a mentor, a first-generation university graduate, and now an HR Manager. Throughout every chapter, the YMCA has provided Connie [...]
Where Fitness and Friendships Unite: Mark Crecco's Story By Jen Schmaltz When Mark Crecco moved to Beamsville in the summer of 2023, he knew only a handful of people. Though his family had been in the area for over a decade, Mark was starting from scratch as a newcomer from Montreal, looking for ways to connect with his new community. He didn’t expect the local YMCA to become a [...]
Meet Anthony & Joey: A Father-Son Duo on a Wellness Journey, Strengthening Their Bond at the YMCA By Jen Schmaltz Anthony and his son Joey were no strangers to fitness. Before the pandemic, they had been members of the YMCA of Niagara in Grimsby. Still, like many others, their routine was interrupted when the world came to a standstill. With the reopening of the YMCA post-COVID, Anthony and [...]
Water Safety Tips Republished with permission from ACTIVE FOR LIFE According to the Canadian Lifesaving Society, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional injury deaths among children between 1 and 4 years of age, and the second leading cause of preventable death for children under 10. Learning to swim is the best way to stay safe and prevent drownings. The society says that to survive an unexpected fall into deep water, the [...]
Study: Early Swimming Promotes Early Development Republished with permission from ACTIVE FOR LIFE Swimming is one of the most important skills that children can learn. Swimming provides for basic safety in and around water, and it also opens the door to dozens of other water-based activities ranging from canoeing and kayaking to kite sailing. But the benefits go even further. Research suggests that learning to swim in early childhood leads [...]
