Sault YMCA, library team up to stimulate your body and mind
A trial of the YMCA's gym, weight room and pool is only a library card away for those in the Sault.
A new pilot project between the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and the Y offers one-week free passes to those with a library card.
Library CEO Matthew MacDonald said there is one pass available at each of the James L McIntyre and North Branch facilities.
“You come to the library you stimulate your mind," MacDonald said.
"There’s lots to do with mental health and physical health, and it’s all kind of related and tied into the individual as a whole.”
Each pass can be used by up to five family members or friends at a time.
Natasha Collett with the YMCA said they noticed an overlap in people using the library and those who use the YMCA.
“Some of them do have financial barriers and are not able to access the YMCA," Collett said.
"So this is a great way for them to try the Y and not have the burden to pay for a membership. We also have financial assistance. So this is a way for them to come try the Y, see the programs, see what we can do here and then we can maybe work with them if they want to get a membership.”
So far, nine people have already used the one-week passes. MacDonald said the wait list currently sits at 14 and is growing.
“That would indicate to us that it is a service that is wanted and very valuable to the community,” he said.
Non-Profit organization ParticipACTION recently stated that children aren't getting enough physical activity and are spending too much time on screens.
Collett wants to remind people that their facility is for everyone in the family. They also have after-school programs for kids such as basketball and floor hockey.
“We have fitness classes for children as well, and there’s fitness classes that parents can do while the kids are in the gym playing. So it’s a way to get them out of the house and off the screens.”
The pilot program will run for at least a year and will be reassessed next summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
BREAKING Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.
Cherry blossoms blooming in Canada: Here's what to know
There is a swaying sea of colour in some cities across Canada, and it's a sure sign of spring: cherry blossoms are in bloom.