McHenry County YMCA bankrupt

Pointing to dwindling membership, escalating maintenance costs and a sour economy, the YMCA of McHenry County has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The Y, a Crystal Lake fixture for 48 years, employs 11 people full time. Between 80 and 90 people work there part time.

But “Absolutely nothing is going to change” when it comes to staffing, day-to-day operations and current programming, said Catherine Williams, the board treasurer and spokeswoman for the YMCA of McHenry County.

The filing instead gives the Y a chance to reorganize itself, as it is now $1.4 million in the red, Williams said. Fewer donations, an 11-year-old addition to the Y and ongoing maintenance costs are responsible for the Y’s current state, Williams said.

For example, she said, officials spent more than $150,000 last year on the 40-year-old Olympic-sized pool’s upkeep and repairs. The Y also may have bitten off more than it could chew during its $1 million expansion 11 years ago that added a new gym, weight room and cardiovascular exercise room.

Today, membership is down 10 percent, with many people leaving to find cheaper rates at other gyms or to buy their own workout equipment. Currently, 2,500 members belong to the Crystal Lake Y.

“With anything, you do your cash flow projections,” Williams said. “But they didn’t hold up.”

As part of the reorganization plan, the Crystal Lake Y hopes another YMCA purchases its assets, takes over its debt and keeps it open. So far, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago has shown interest, Williams said.

The YMCA of McHenry County filed Jan. 25 in the bankruptcy court for the Northern District of Illinois. The Y’s holdings include Camp Algonquin and Triple R Day Camp, two basketball courts, offices, an exercise room and two outdoor tennis courts that light up at night, according to its website.