Athol Area YMCA undergoes $750K upgrade

ATHOL – The Athol Area YMCA is undergoing extensive repairs and upgrades designed to enhance the experience of patrons and, according to a release, “reduce long-term operating costs and create more consistent, usable program space.”

Interim CEO Jim Scherer, who joined the Y in early October 2025, said he was hired to utilize his 40-plus years of experience working with YMCAs in various capacities and communities. It’s estimated that the project will cost $750,000, and work is being done by D.R. Poulin Construction of Fitchburg.

“The leadership team, the board of directors, the community at large gave me a contract for about a year….and I’m loving it,” he said. “It’s an incredible town with incredible people, the board, the staff.”

Before his arrival, said Scherer, the local YMCA ‘was mismanaged, and that’s just a fact; mismanaged to the point where obvious sorts of maintenance were completely ignored.”

Scherer said the Y had begun to address the problems shortly before his arrival.

“Job one was the envelope, if you will, starting with the roof,” he added. “We’re close to completion on major repairs to the roof – the roof and the drainage system. Once that is complete, we’re going to be able to get into the other projects – insulation, windows, there are fire safety issues here. And all along, we’ll be replacing pumps and motors on HVAC systems and the pool.”

“The leadership team, the board of directors, the community at large gave me a contract for about a year….and I’m loving it. It’s an incredible town with incredible people, the board, the staff.”

YMCA Interim CEO jim Scherer

The building housing the Athol Area YMCA was built in 1911, according to Scherer.

“The building needs critical attention, and we’re giving it critical attention,” Scherer said. “Everyone understands that. The board has given me the green light (to spend what it takes.)”

Sherer said that when the YMCA’s permanent CEO takes over this summer, the physical plant will have experienced a complete turnaround.

“If we don’t do this,” said Scherer, making a sweeping gesture, “this is all going to disappear.”

While some of the project’s funding comes from the organization’s endowment, Scherer credited Grant Administrator Seth Kelley, who has been busy writing grants to help underwrite the cost. Scherer and Kelley estimate the amount in grants secured so far to be between $350,000 and $400,000. One grant is being used to upgrade the facility’s Wi-Fi.

Kelly said that in addition to the endowment and grants, funding has come in the form of donations and community support.

“The Rotary has helped us out with some programming, Hannaford has helped; but then we have state grants,” Kelly said. “And we’re currently waiting for a MassDevelopment grant.”

Scherer said people who use the Y will see noticeable improvements when the project is complete.

“The preschool, after my time here, will likely expand. The pool – the pool was leaking. The HVAC system, we have these four….World War I-era boilers downstairs. It’s incredibly inefficient, just traversing water pipes across this beautiful building,” said Scherer. “Now we’ll see the pool water being heated completely on its own circuit, if you will.”

Upgrades will also include the part of the building used by the Transitional Housing Program, which, according to the Y’s website, “is to help men who may be down on their luck to get back on their feet with guided support from their case manager.”

“The way the leadership team has responded to change, and include Seth as part of that leadership team, and the board – the synergy has been great,” Sherer said. “To use a sports metaphor, it’s not just the team on the field, it’s the chemistry. It’s not over dramatic to say what they went through here was traumatic….I’ve worked in Chicago, Hartford and other parts of the country, but no one has anything on Athol.”