YWCA Clinton shows renovations, plans for more work

CLINTON, Iowa – The historic YWCA Clinton building is getting a new life with long overdue renovations – all thanks to an ongoing $1 million campaign. “We’re breathing much needed life into our beloved building,” Shannon Sander-Welzien, executive director of the YWCA Clinton, said during a ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 3, celebrating many of those new […]

CLINTON, Iowa – The historic YWCA Clinton building is getting a new life with long overdue renovations – all thanks to an ongoing $1 million campaign. “We’re breathing much needed life into our beloved building,” Shannon Sander-Welzien, executive director of the YWCA Clinton, said during a ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 3, celebrating many of those new renovations.

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More than 50 people attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at the 317 Seventh Ave. South YWCA to see those renovation projects that have been months in the works. Some of the projects included: an updated multi-purpose room, Fitness Center and locker rooms flooring, installation of new lockers, tile work, updates to the HVAC throughout the facility, and the addition of a new air purification system. Projects have also included restoring the historic hardwood floors on the second and third floors of the building, and updates to the YWCA’s commercial kitchen, which had many original cabinets. It now is up to current building code and ready to serve 300 to 500 meals daily to the children enrolled in YWCA programs. “All of these projects were very overdue, very much needed, and will help us to go on to serve our community with childcare, housing insecurity, health and wellness opportunities, as well as our mission programs,” said Ms. Sander-Welzien. The center of attention for many guests Tuesday was the renovated childcare classroom area in the YWCA building. That updated space now is filled with a wide variety of small chairs, small tables and small cabinets for young children. It also is filled with many books with titles such as “Bear’s Special Birthday,” “Froggy’s Halloween” and “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.” “This project came together because of many, many supporters,” the executive director said during the ceremony. Some of the updates to the childcare area include adding security cameras, the addition of a dedicated entrance on the southwest corner of the building, and a buzzer/camera system for safe, convenient access for families. That event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and Ms. Sander-Welzien being presented with a Progress Award from Grow Clinton. Ms. Sander-Welzien also shared some of the history of the historic building at 317 Seventh Ave. South. The site was gifted to the YWCA in 1920. It is the former original Lafayette Lamb Home and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. In fact, the childcare classroom area is located in the carriage house area of that  former home. In addition to the ceremony, festivities included tours of the YWCA facilities. LuAnn Larson, health and wellness manager at the YWCA, showed groups of visitors the swimming pool area and weight room. “This is one of the rooms where we get a wide range of ages,” she told the crowd. The pool area also received some updates as new doors were added to the section. While YWCA leaders say they are pleased with the many renovations, more work may be on the horizon. One of those projects could center on updates to the cardio room/gym area, said Ms. Sander-Welzien. “There’s always something coming up, something that needs to be done here,” she added. She also devoted a big part of the celebration to thanking the many people, companies and supporters who have helped with the YWCA renovations. Those include:

• YWCA Clinton received nearly $500,000 of funding through the Iowa Economic Development Authority through a City of Clinton CDBG-CV grant for the renovations.
• The Albertson Foundation and Riverbend Food Bank assisted with the purchase of commercial appliances for the kitchen. 
• Early Childhood Iowa helped fund an unexpected ventilation system needed for the new commercial dishwasher to meet code requirements. 
• The Union Pacific Foundation helped fund new glass pool doors for the community's only indoor public pool at the YWCA.
• The A.E. Pearson Foundation helped fund the new contactless door system updates.
•  Donors such as Dave and Rita Sivright and other anonymous donors were able to offer support and match for the projects. 
• The childcare and kitchen projects were funded by the Iowa Arts Council through a Strengthening Communities grant, as well funding from the Clinton County Development Association, an anonymous foundation, the Grow Clinton’s Spring for Sprouts fundraiser, and other private donors.

“A lot of people came together to make all of this possible, to breathe new life into our facility, so we can go on to provide health, help and hope to our community through the many programs of the YWCA,” said Ms. Sander-Welzien.