Celebrating $10+Million Raised for Heart of the City Campaign
Winnipeg, Manitoba – YMCA-YWCA Winnipeg, alongside community and government leaders, is celebrating passing the $10 Million mark of its $18 Million Heart of the City Capital Campaign in support of the Downtown Y Redevelopment Project.
The project was announced in 2024 and represents a $20 Million reinvestment into the Downtown Y as the primary community centre serving Winnipeg’s Downtown core, and includes the following key components (complete project details available at Heart of the City Capital Campaign:
- Indoor splash pad
- Construction of community classrooms
- Expansion of child care spaces
- Accessibility upgrades
- Expansion of mental health services
- Fitness centre upgrades
- Expansion of newcomer services
- Relocation of YWinnipeg’s Corporate Office to the Downtown Y
“It was only a few years ago that our Board had to seriously look at closing the Downtown Y due to significant financial challenges,” said Cordella Friesen, President & CEO of YMCA-YWCA Winnipeg. “They made a bold decision to go in a completely different direction because the Downtown community needs the Y now more than ever. To see where we are today and the support the project has received so far is overwhelming.”
As part of the $10.2 Million raised to date, YWinnipeg unveiled a list of key funders who have confirmed their generous support for the project:
- Province of Manitoba (Sport, Culture, Heritage & Tourism) $5 Million
- Johnston Family Foundation $500,000
- Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg $500,000
- The Winnipeg Foundation $500,000
- Carolyn Sifton Foundation $375,000
- Doug Harvey and Jan Shute Foundation $250,000
- Price Family Foundation $250,000
- Payworks Inc. $150,000
- Pollard Family Foundation $100,000
- The Asper Foundation $100,000
“Every tour we’ve given, every presentation we’ve made, the answer has been ‘yes’ every single time,” said Friesen. “We know we have a lot of work left to do to reach our $18 Million goal but we wanted to take a moment and celebrate all the supporters who have helped us reach this incredible milestone.”