2024. What an incredible year it’s been! From heartfelt celebrations and meaningful partnerships to inspiring stories of impact, we’ve witnessed the compassion, strength, and resilience of our communities. This year also highlighted the transformative power of giving back, reminding us of the difference we can make when we work together.
Throughout the year, we had the privilege of connecting with incredible individuals who make up the heart of the YMCA. Whether it was members, donors, staff, volunteers, Board Members, or the next generation of leaders, each person shared their unique reasons for being part of our community. A common thread emerged in every story: a shared commitment to fostering connection, supporting one another, and striving for happiness and health for all. Read all of their amazing stories.
And now, let’s take a look at our 2024 in review!
Celebrating 5 Years of Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton
We started 2024 off in the best way, with a 5-year anniversary celebration of the opening of Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton! As the largest YMCA in the world, this facility has been a wonderful addition to the SE community, and we are so grateful to everyone who visited over the year.
"As I take a moment to reflect on the past five years, I think of each staff member and volunteer who supported this location - your dedication and passion got us to where we are today," Jocelyn Santos, General Manager of Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton, shared. "I am also grateful to our surrounding communities for trusting the YMCA and walking through those doors from day one and all our incredible community partners that embraced us from the start."
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Encouraging Girls in Sports
In 2018, YMCA Calgary launched its first girls-only basketball programming in response to record high numbers of girls dropping out of sports. March 2024 brought the first ever YMCA girls-only basketball tournament to Saddletowne YMCA, with our very own home team taking home the gold!
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2024 also saw a successful partnership with Girls in Sports Canada, who brought six mini Power Up! multi-sport day camps to YMCA Calgary locations over the course of the year to encourage girls ages 8 through 12 to try out new sports and activities.
Bringing Youth Together through Esports
2024 was a year full of sports, and not just traditional sports. Our esports program continued to grow, seeing hundreds of youth, staff, and volunteers coming together for the love of gaming. We hosted leagues, day camps, tournaments, and more to bring the gaming community together, receiving a resoundingly positive response. Participants and their parents/guardians enjoyed the safe environment and sense of community that esports provides. In response to one tournament, a parent shared “thank you for the community you provided my son. He was glowing after the tournament.”
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Celebrating Exceptional Youth in Calgary
2024 saw another exciting partnership blossom with Avenue Calgary, where the first-ever Top 20 Under 20 awards were announced. Our youth are the cornerstone of everything we do at the YMCA. Youth are the future, with the potential of becoming tomorrow’s leaders, innovative thinkers, artists, and athletes, a generation that’s coming of age during a uniquely challenging period.
Throughout the summer, nominations were open to celebrate a trailblazing, innovative, or impactful Calgarian under age 20. The 20 Under 20 Class of 2025 will be celebrated in Avenue‘s March/April 2025 issue and at a party held at the YMCA in March.
Celebrating Our Amazing Volunteers
We are not the YMCA without all the volunteers we know and love. They are the ones greeting us with a friendly smile at the scan-in desk, the ones passionately leading a fitness class, the ones graciously cleaning the weight floor equipment to keep everyone safe and healthy, and so much more. We can not do what we do without our volunteers, and we took the opportunity to celebrate them during National Volunteer Week in April. Check out our volunteer thank-you video, where we asked some of our staff and volunteers about their experiences at the YMCA.
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Building Community with our Friends at the Wilder Institute / Calgary Zoo
In 2024, we also announced an exciting partnership with the Wilder Institute / Calgary Zoo. As non-profit organizations who help meet the needs of our community members, the idea of a partnership was formed to create a stronger and more vibrant city together. As pillars of our city, we are committed to helping Calgarians unlock their potential through memorable experiences and play. Together, we connect people through diverse and shared experiences, creating spaces that are welcoming and inspiring for all.
This partnership included fun activations at both YMCA Calgary branches and the Calgary Zoo, exciting giveaways, cross-venue marketing, and more. We’re excited for our partnership with the Wilder Institute / Calgary Zoo to continue in 2025!
Shawnessy YMCA Receives Support for Green Upgrades
In May, it was announced that the South Fish Creek Complex in Calgary, which houses Shawnessy YMCA, would receive energy upgrades after a joint investment of more than $1.2 million from the federal government, YMCA Calgary, and the complex partners, to extend the lifespan and improve the energy efficiency of the facility. We are using this funding to upgrade our heating systems and air handling units to more efficient models at Shawnessy YMCA, generating savings that can be reinvested into future community needs.
“The Shawnessy YMCA is an important community hub that provides the rapidly growing southwest quadrant of Calgary with a place to play, grow and connect,” shared Shannon Doram, YMCA Calgary President and CEO. “The Government of Canada’s investment through the Green and Inclusive Community Building program will make YMCA Calgary more energy-efficient and support us in providing the programs and services that are essential to creating vibrant communities for years to come. We are grateful for this opportunity to partner with the Government of Canada on climate action and community resiliency.”
Our Truth and Reconciliation Journey
A big part of our work at YMCA Calgary and our two outdoor camps is our Truth and Reconciliation journey. In June, we recognized National Indigenous Peoples Month, with our 17th annual Indigenous Youth Hoops Tournament taking place. This one-day event brought together ten teams between two divisions for a day of fun competition and community spirit. The day was enriched by DJ Sarah Good Medicine and MC Dwight Farahat, who energized the crowd with music and positive role modeling. Our event was supported by a remarkable Youth Hoops committee and volunteers from YMCA Calgary, USAY, Miskanawah, Awo-taan, Calgary Police Services, Calgary Police Service Youth Foundation, and Calgary Surge.
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Throughout the fall, we held Treaty 7 flag raising ceremonies at our branches, reminding us all that everyone belongs at the YMCA. As we continue our Truth and Reconciliation journey, we honour and recognize the Treaty 7 Nations and urban Indigenous community by continuing to create ethical space within our YMCAs for all.
Bringing Light to Esports with Fledge Health
Over the summer, we were thrilled to partner with Fledge Health on a pilot program in our Esports Summer Camps. Through this initiative, Fledge played a vital role in helping campers develop self-regulation, explore social skills, and take meaningful breaks. The activities, designed to integrate mindfulness, movement, and emotional awareness, gave participants tools they could easily connect with in a way that made sense to them. Learn more about our partnership with Fledge Health.
Communities Coming Together through Challenging Times
2024 brought together our communities in unimaginable ways, and in some instances, through tragedy. When news of the devastating wildfires in Jasper hit, we opened our doors to community members that had been evacuated from their homes to our facilities, free of charge, for anything from shower use to drop-in fitness classes for the duration of the evacuations.
In June came the critical water emergency alert as a result of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main break, forcing us to evaluate our water usage and eventually, temporarily close our pools/hot tubs, steam rooms, and arenas. Our communities came together during this time to collectively reduce our water consumption, and in July, we were able to fully re-open our pools and resume normal operations.
Yahoo! Stampede Breakfast Season
As July approached, we geared up for one of our favourite times of the year – Stampede (breakfast) season! In line with our annual traditions, we hosted Stampede breakfasts at five of our YMCA Calgary locations, spending time with our friends at the Stampede Caravan, and our neighbours in the community. With over 16,000 plates of pancakes served and countless memories shared, Calgarians really brought the Stampede spirit to the YMCA this year.
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Unlocking Core Memories at Camp Chief Hector
Camp Chief Hector started off the year with a grant announcement from the Government of Alberta in February, and it only went up from there. Receiving funds from the Government of Alberta’s Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP), the CFEP grant is being used to redevelop fundamental camp amenities, replace camper and staff accommodations, and implement necessary infrastructure improvements.
In June, we announced an exciting new event at camp – Homecoming! Designed to bring old connections back together, Homecoming took place at camp in September and was a big success. Over 160 camp alumni and guests attended, enjoying the classic camp activities that we all know and love. We shared laughs, stories, and old memories while guests enjoyed activities like canoeing on Chilver, pony petting at the stables, and striking bullseye at the archery station. It was such a fun day, and we can't wait to make this special event an annual occasion.
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As Camp approached its centennial year, we are envisioning what’s next to keep the fun, belonging, and memories alive at this special place. As part of our Love, Camp campaign, we are raising $17 million to invest in the future of CCH through important infrastructure upgrades.
Celebrating Andy Melton’s Contributions to the YMCA
In September, Calgary business leader, philanthropist, and long-time YMCA Calgary supporter Andy Melton received the prestigious YMCA Fellowship of Honour medal in Ottawa, presented by Senator Ratna Omidvar. This top YMCA recognition celebrates over 30 years of Andy’s dedicated service to the organization and the Calgary community.
Since the 1990s, Andy has played a pivotal role in YMCA Calgary’s growth, contributing through board leadership and capital campaign efforts that have shaped the organization’s transformation.
Shannon Doram, YMCA Calgary President & CEO, says, “Andy’s leadership and years of dedication and passion have helped to build a stronger, healthier YMCA Calgary that, in turn, is helping to build a healthier Calgary. Andy’s investment of time, energy, and talent in serving others has created a legacy that will be felt for generations.”
Celebrating Inclusion at the Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre Inclusion Awards Dinner
In September, David Richardson, Health & Fitness Supervisor at Remington YMCA in Quarry Park, attended the Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre (DDRC) Inclusion Awards Dinner on behalf of the branch. The YMCA was nominated by volunteer Amelia and her support worker Marcela, who have been volunteering on the weight floor every Wednesday for nearly a year. Their cheerful presence has brought joy and warmth to members and staff alike.
While they nominated the YMCA for fostering an inclusive environment, the evening became even more memorable when Amelia and Marcela each received their own inclusion awards. Their dedication to creating a welcoming community has left a lasting impact, making their recognition a proud moment for everyone at the YMCA.
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Bringing Affordable and Accessible Arts to the Suburbs
YMCA Arts saw another successful year of bringing the arts to the suburbs and was even able to expand its arts class programming to three more branches, meaning we now offer arts classes at all six of our YMCA Calgary branches!
The 2024 YMCA Arts live performances saw everything from Star Wars to puppets to poetry to the Nutcracker and so much more. We had X shows between our Evan Hazel theatre at Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton and BMO Theatre at Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge, with countless laughs, songs, and memories shared by our audience members of all ages.
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Making a Splash with YMCA Aquatics
In April, Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton had the pleasure of hosting the Alberta Lifesaving Sport Meet Provincials, a weekend of fun, sport, and teamwork. Out of 400 competitors, 22 were from YMCA Calgary, and 14 went home with a medal. One of our very own staff members, alongside his partner, also set a provincial and national record!
In November, our YMCA Calgary Guardians also made a splash! The team competed alongside 200 athletes from across Alberta in an annual Lifesaving Sport competition hosted at Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton. At the end of November, our YMCA Guardians also broke three provincial records at the Water Ninjas Lifesaving Sport Competition!
Lifesaving Sport combines athletic ability with lifesaving skills and rescue equipment, showcasing the impressive abilities of lifeguards across Canada. The sport is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and races have been organized in Canada since the 1930s.
Making Mental Health Care Accessible with the Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary
We announced another exciting partnership in 2024 with the Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary (CMHA) to offer free mental health courses at Saddletowne YMCA! Designed to empower and educate, this series of four courses is piloted by CMHA Recovery College. Recovery College uses an educational based approach to help people recognize and develop their own resourcefulness and awareness, in order to become experts in their own recovery and wellness. The courses saw great success throughout the year, and we look forward to our continued partnership with CMHA in 2025.
Bringing the Fitness Instructor Community Together
In November, we held our annual Fitness Leadership Conference, where we hosted the first ever Fitness Leadership Awards. We welcomed over 155 fitness leaders from our YMCA and across the province to Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton - our largest fitness conference to date!
The event was full of fun, sweat, and many happy tears as our volunteer instructors and trainers participated in lectures, sessions, team building activities and group fitness classes with industry experts. The first ever Fitness Leadership Award ceremony provided an opportunity for our staff and members to honour the fitness leaders who go above and beyond every day with the recognition they deserve.
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Spreading JOY in our YMCA Calgary Branches
In December, we held our annual JOY Day at our branches. With hot chocolate, candy canes, fun games, raffles, and more, the day was spent spreading joy to each and every person who walked through our doors in the spirit of the holiday season and appreciating every gift that came in that day.
For Christy Repchuk, our Director of Fund Development, JOY is more than a word: “JOY Day is about more than raising funds; it’s about the joy we feel when we connect with our members and community. Whether it’s sharing a warm drink or a moment of laughter, it’s a reminder of why we do what we do – to make joy, connections, and health and wellness accessible to everyone.”
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Celebrating Staff at our Longevity Awards
We wrapped up the year celebrating our incredible staff at our annual Longevity Awards breakfast in December. The morning was an opportunity to get together with our colleagues and recognize work anniversary milestones (all the way up to 15 years!) while enjoying breakfast and a look back on 2024.
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A Look Forward to 2025
2024 brought a lot of excitement, and 2025 will be no different. We have so much to look forward to here at the YMCA, but above all else, we can’t wait to see everyone who walks through our doors next year. Have a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year!