YMCA Quebec - News and events

$45,000 in support of The YMCAs of Québec’s programs

Montréal, May 30, 2012 – To mark the inauguration of a new branch in downtown Montréal, the National Bank announced a donation of $45,000 to be distributed over three years in support of the development of The YMCAs of Québec’s community programs. Dialogue, a support program for the homeless, as well as the Destination Youth leadership development program will benefit from this funding.

“The YMCAs of Québec Foundation is delighted with this significant support”, states Danièle MacKinnon, Director of Financial Development of The YMCAs of Québec. “We are pleased with the confidence that the National Bank has in our community programs which are in serious need of funding. The Bank has been a long-standing partner of The YMCAs of Québec, having supported several activities, programs, and initiatives in recent years.”

“Year after year, the National Bank pours millions of dollars into the community in order to create a positive impact on the quality of life of citizens and of youth in particular”, declares Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bank. “Supporting the development of youth is truly a priority for the Bank. Our objective is clear: help youth reach their full potential. As such, it was natural for us to support The YMCAs of Québec’s youth programs” concludes Mr. Vachon.

Since 1997, the Dialogue program has been lending support to the homeless in downtown’s Peter-McGill district (which is bordered by Atwater and Saint-Laurent Streets and Sherbrooke and Saint-Antoine Streets) by helping them throughout the process of getting off the street. It also works to foster improved relations between the homeless and the merchants and residents in the area. In 2011, more than 180 people benefitted from regular and individualized support from the neighbourhood’s unique team of community workers. This allowed 16 of them to get off the streets and find a home. Thanks to the contribution of the National Bank, The YMCAs of Québec will be able to ensure the sustainability of the program and provide an increased presence on the streets in order to support these individuals who are in desperate need of help.

In addition, the well-being and success of youth in Québec is a priority for both The YMCAs of Québec and the National Bank. Created in the wake of the opening of the Cartierville YMCA, the Destination Youth program provide hundreds of youth from the neighbourhood of Bordeaux-Cartierville with the opportunity to develop social skills such as leadership and the ability to develop friendships, all the while helping them adopt an active lifestyle. Amongst others, the donation will help support the Cartierville YMCA’s outdoor recreational zone. The money will also help fund the National Bank’s Leadership Scholarships which encourage the leadership development of youth.

About The YMCAs of Québec
The first YMCA in North America was founded in Montreal in November 1851. The YMCAs of Québec is a charitable organization that helps improve the well-being of children, youth, adults, and seniors. Its ten YMCA centres, International Language School, Ski School, Residence, YMCA Camp Kanawana, and its 35 points of service across the province are visited each year by more than 120,000 people. The YMCAs of Québec is part of the Canadian network of 52 YMCA associations. For more information, visit ymcaquebec.org or our YMCA Québec Facebook page.

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Source: The YMCAs of Québec
Information:
Nathalie Viora
Manager, Communications
Nathalie.viora@ymcaquebec.org
514.849.5331, ext. 1215

The YMCAs of Québec, partner of the 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly

The CIVICUS World Assembly serves as a primary venue for civil society practitioners, researchers, activists, concerned business leaders, and representatives from governments to share ideas and experiences on strengthening citizen participation. The 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly will be held in Montréal, Canada from September 3-7, 2012.

The 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly program is now available. The content is rich, the presenters are bringing a great diversity of expertise, there are a thousand things for you to accomplish...and your own participation is only a click away!

Benefit from...
• 5 days (Youth Assembly and World Assembly) of constructive discussions and exchanges;
• Approximately 1,000 delegates from over 100 countries;
• Over 200 keynote speakers, presenters, and experts wanting to share the wealth of their knowledge;
• 52 very interactive work sessions supporting the 3 World Assembly and Youth Assembly program tracks;
• Many social activities to foster long-lasting and fruitful relationships;
• The annual CIVICUS members' meeting;
• The Citizen Café to meet enthusiastic partners and learn about the latest projects
• ...and lots more!
Join this great gathering of civil society where citizens, governments, businesses, researchers, and organizations from a hundred countries are working to strengthen citizen action. Register today at http://civicusassembly.org/ !

The 27th Edition of the YMCAs of Québec Foundation’s Golf Tournament

All the ingredients were in place to make this tournament a resounding success: ideal weather, a great cause, a prestigious golf course, and enthusiastic golfers.

It was under sunny skies that 120 golfers gathered for the 27th edition of the YMCAs of Québec Foundation’s golf tournament. As they put their golf skills to the test, everyone was able to enjoy the quality of the course at the Pinegrove Golf Club in Saint-Luc. The day ended with a BBQ banquet where prizes were awarded, including two airplane tickets for anywhere in North America.

Thanks to the generosity of our many sponsors, donors, and partners, the tournament generated a record profit of $100,235, surpassing our objective of $90,000. The money raised will go directly to the youth initiatives of The YMCAs of Québec, including the Youth Zones and leadership development activities.

Many thanks to our generous sponsors:

Presenter
TELUS Québec

Leadership
GDI Integrated Facility Services
Power Corporation du Canada

Mentor
Barsalou Lawson
Centaure, Cabinet de services financiers inc.
Dectron internationale Inc.
Fasken Martineau
SNC-Lavalin Inc.
KPMG
Servicorp Industrial Supplies

Patron
Morin Public Relations

Cathy Wong from the YMCA…

The YMCAs of Québec would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. Cathy Wong for her recent appointment as President of the Forum Jeunesse de l'île de Montréal (FJIM). Cathy is Development Agent of the Youth Sector with The YMCAs of Québec. The Forum Jeunesse de l'île de Montréal is a consultative body of the CRÉ de Montréal representing over 500 youth groups in the region. Its 25 elected members come from the education, socio-economic, socio-community, arts and culture, environmental, and sports and leisure sectors. The organization coordinates projects and focuses on defending the interests and rights of youth between the ages of 12 and 30. A non-partisan group, the FJIM is financially supported by the Secrétariat à la jeunesse as part of its Youth Action Strategy 2009-2014. With the well-being and success of youth as its priority action, The YMCAs of Québec is delighted to have the opportunity to work jointly with other youth organizations from Montreal.

Supervised visitation and custody exchange:The Centre jeunesse de Montréal-Institut universitaire...

MONTREAL, Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - As of July 1, the Centre jeunesse de Montréal-Institut universitaire (CJM-IU) and The YMCAs of Québec will join forces to offer supervised visitation and custody exchange to children and parents receiving services under the Youth Protection Act. In this context, the aim of the visitation is to allow families to meet in an environment that is as safe and natural as possible.

“It’s an honour to collaborate with a renowned community partner such as The YMCAs of Québec. With their commitment to the well-being of families and communities, the mission and values of the YMCA mirror those of our organization. It is part of our strategic direction to partner with stakeholders from the milieu to ensure the quality of our services to youth and families” states Mr. Jean-Marc Potvin, Director General of the CJM-IU.

“We are proud to contribute to the mission of the CJM-IU by offering a meeting place and parent-child custody exchange environment that is safe, neutral, and supervised. This partnership makes perfect sense since The YMCAs of Québec has the well-being and success of youth as its priority action” adds Stéphane Vaillancourt, Preseident and CEO of The YMCAs of Québec.

The supervised visitation and custody exchange are subject to the regulations outlined in the Guide relatif à l’organisation des services de supervision des droits d’accès du ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS). The agreement makes provisions that allow both parties to undertake their obligations diligently, and in the interest of ensuring the quality and continued improvement of services to families. To this end, a Supervised Visitation Support Guide is in effect at the CJM-IU.

The Centre jeunesse de Montréal – Institut universitaire (CJM-IU) provides services to children, youth, and families experiencing difficulties under the Youth Protection Act (YPA), the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), and the Health Services and Social Services Act (HSSSA). Every year, close to 13,000 children, youth, and families in greater Montreal receive services from the CJM-IU. Services are provided directly in the community (65%) or in a residential environment (35%). www.centrejeunessedemontreal.qc.ca or http://www.facebook.com/cjmiu.fanpage.

About The YMCAs of Québec
The first YMCA in North America was founded in Montreal in November 1851. The YMCAs of Québec is a charitable organization that helps improve the well-being of children, youth, adults, and seniors. Its ten YMCA centres, International Language School, Ski School, Residence, YMCA Camp Kanawana, and its 35 points of service across the province are visited each year by more than 120,000 people. The YMCAs of Québec is part of the Canadian network of 52 YMCA associations. For more information visit http://www.ymcaquebec.org/ or facebook.com/ymcaquebec.

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Source: CJM-IU’s Communications and Community Relations Office

Information: Jocelyne Boudreault, Information Officer

514 593-3979 / 514 209-9943, www.centrejeunessedemontreal.qc.ca

Special Victoria Day Schedule

Cartierville YMCA
Sports Facilities - 7:00am - 8:30pm
There will be no group fitness classes.
Regular swimming lessons.
Pool schedule: Monday swimming period from 7:30 a.m.- 8:00 p.m

Downtown YMCA
Sports facilities & gymnasium: 7:15am – 7:45pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Pool Schedule:
7:30am – 7pm
Residents of the City of Montreal
1pm – 2pm (Family Open Swim)
5pm – 7pm

Du Parc YMCA
Business hours: 6:45am -11pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Guy-Favreau YMCA
Business hours: 8am – 6pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Hochelaga-Maisonneuve YMCA
Business hours: 8am – 8pm

There will be no group fitness classes.
Adult open swim: 11:30am – 1:25pm and 6:30 pm – 7:55 pm

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce YMCA
Business hours: 8am – 6pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Pointe-Saint-Charles YMCA
Business hours: 9am – 7pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Saint-Laurent YMCA
Closed.

Westmount YMCA
Business hours: 10:00am-5:00pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Pool Schedule:
Lap Swim: 10:00am-11:15am
Open Swim (2): 11:15am -3:30pm

Lap Swim: 3:30pm-4:45pm

West Island YMCA
Please consult the schedule linked at the bottom of this page.

The YMCAs of Quebec takes part in the Défi Climat campaign

As an initiative of the Sustainable Y Committee, over the last four years the YMCA has participated in the Défi Climat campaign to become involved in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by individuals.

We invite employees, volunteers, members, partners, participants and the entire Y community to register and take the Défi Climat challenge by making some simple gestures. A few changes in our life style at home, at work and in our transport will help reduce some greenhouse gas emissions.

How to take this challenge?
• Go to the website: http://deficlimat.qc.ca/?q=EN/eng/citizen/step1

• Write “YMCA du Québec” to choose your organization

• Select the actions that you are going to take

• Défi Cimat will send you an e-mail to confirm your participation

• Take advantage of the opportunity to win prizes

The YMCAs of Québec – voted best fitness club/gym & best pool!!

Thank you to all those who voted for The YMCAs of Québec in The Mirror’s Best of Montreal Readers Poll 2012.

HEALTHY KIDS DAYS AT THE YMCA - WE ARE OPENING OUR DOORS FREE-OF-CHARGE FOR FAMILIES

To mark YMCA National Healthy Kids Day on June 2nd and 3rd, The YMCAs of Québec, in conjunction with all of the YMCAs in Canada, is opening its doors to families and invites them to take part in free activities. Varied programming will be offered to help youth and their parents adopt healthy lifestyle habits.

Saturday, June 2nd

Du Parc YMCA
Between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., activities will be held for youth ages 0 to 12.

As of 10:00 a.m.: face painting, parachute, song and dance, as well as crafts for children ages 0 to 5 in the play area. There will be a smoothie stand!
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Basketball and soccer in the gymnasium (ages 8 to 12)
11:00 a.m.: Dance and interactive video play in room 2B (ages 5 to 12)
12:00 p.m.: everyone is invited to a picnic in the gymnasium!
1:00 p.m.: Open play in the gymnasium for the entire family!
The Youth Zone is open all day for youth ages 10 to 12.

Friday, June 1st: a free evening camp for 5 to 12 year-olds with games and access to the pool. Don’t miss the film and popcorn night from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.!

For more information or for the complete schedule of this centre’s programming, call 514 271-9622.

Cartierville YMCA
The centre will be opening its door from 10am – 2pm for families with children aged 1 to 11 years. They can participate in the following activities, run by our staff:

Family yoga from 10am – 11am (limited places)
Family Gym for 1 to 5 years olds from 10:45 am to 2pm
Sports & games in the gym (basketball, soccer and team games) from 10 :45 am to 2pm.

Parents need to leave a piece of ID at the member services desk in order to enter the centre.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce YMCA
Between 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., children ages 2 to 12 can participate in various outdoor activities:

- Physical activities
- Inflatable games
- Face painting
- Book sale
- BBQ at noon

In the event of rain, activities will be held inside the centre.

For more information or for the complete schedule of this centre’s programming, call 514 486-7315.

Hochelaga-Maisonneuve YMCA
Between 9:00 .m. and 2:55 p.m., activities will be held for children ages 1 to 11.

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.: Weekend Club - supervised activity where the children have fun, explore, and demonstrate their talents. On the program: sports, games, theatre, and crafts (ages 5 to-11)
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.: Karate for children (ages 6 to 11)
1:30 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.: Open family swim for all

For more information or for the complete schedule of this centre’s programming, call 514-255-4651.

West Island YMCA
Families will have access to free activities on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Combo Club - Mix of active and passive games (gym/play, games, crafts, and outdoor fun)
8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.: Y-Planet - Exer-gaming arcade (i.e. Dance Dance Revolution, Wii, SSX Snowboard)
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Open swim

For more information or for the complete schedule of this centre’s programming, call 514 630-9622.

Westmount YMCA

The Westmount YMCA will be opening its doors from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for families with children ages 0 and up. They can participate in the following activities led by our volunteers:

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Open gym & animation (ages 0 to 5)
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Healthy snack time
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.: Healthy snack time
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Open gym time & sports activities (ages 3 and up)

For more information or for the complete schedule of this centre’s programming, call 514 931-8046.

Please note that all children must be accompanied and supervised by a parent at all times for all activities.

Sunday June 3

Details to come.

The YMCAs of Québec has signed the...

The YMCAs of Québec has signed the Québec Charter for a Healthy and Diverse Body Image in order to promote healthy lifestyle habits among youth.

http://www.ijoinonline.com/en/

Westmount Y Centre's Silent Auction & Centennial Gala

For an extraordinary evening to remember, please join us as we celebrate the Westmount Y Centre’s Centennial in style!

Our gala evening begins at the Y Centre with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and lots of action. Bid on a fabulous array of silent auction items, play an exciting game of chance with our balloon popping event and participate in the historical tour and exhibit of 100 years of community involvement.

From there the magic unfolds as you cross the street to the elegant ambiance of Victoria Hall where, serenaded by a Westmount Youth Orchestra quartet, you’ll enjoy a delicious meal, unforgettable dancing and entertainment featuring The Fundamentals, and help usher in the Y’s next century of commitment to the Westmount community.

Our Gala Evening in Brief
Silent Auction and Cocktail Reception
Westmount Y Centre
4585 Sherbrooke Street West
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Gala Dinner and Dance
Victoria Hall
4626 Sherbrooke Street West
7:30 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Cash bar

Tickets (include cocktail and dinner): $125/person* (18+)

Ticket Purchase Dates to Remember
9:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 10, 2012
For Westmount Y members, staff, volunteers, donors
Available in person only at the Westmount Y Centre
No ticket reservations
Payment accepted: Visa, Master Card, Debit, Cash

9:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2012
For the Westmount community at large
Available at the Westmount Y Centre and at Victoria Hall
No ticket reservations
Payment accepted at Westmount Y Centre:
Visa, Master Card, Debit, Cash.
Payment accepted at Victoria Hall: Cash.

Rebranding of the YMCA across Canada!

As many of you have surely noted, YMCAs across Canada have been rebranding their image since the start of the year, notably through promotional materials used for the new Strong Kids community support campaign. Over the coming years, changes such as the one in the logo’s appearance will gradually be made in all of the YMCAs in Québec and Canada.

This initiative is the result of an important collaboration that began two years ago between all the YMCAs across Canada. It was done in effort to create a more consistent image and to improve the public’s understanding of our status as a charitable organization and the scope of our community outreach.

Much more than just a logo, the brand is also a promise that we will reiterate to you: strengthen the foundations of the community. The YMCAs of Québec helps and will continue to help children, youth, adults, and seniors develop their well-being.

Special Easter Schedule 2012

Please note: only changes to the schedule are listed here. If a day of the week is not mentioned, it means regular business hours and schedules are in effect.

Have a great weekend!

Cartierville Y centre
Please call the centre for details.

Downtown Y centre
Sports facilities & gymnasium
Friday-Sunday - 7:15am – 7:45pm
Monday - 6am – 10:45pm

Pool
Friday : 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
City of Montreal Residents

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Family Swim

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Lap Swim

Saturday-Monday: Regular schedule, however, there are no aquafitness classes on Monday.

Group fitness classes
Friday - There will be no group fitness classes.
Saturday – please click here for schedule.
Sunday – There will be no group fitness classes.
Monday - please click here for schedule.

Du Parc Y centre

Sunday April 8, 2012.

Gymnastics & kung fun classes for kids are cancelled.

Monday, April 9, 2012.

Business hours: 6:45am -11pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Centre Y Guy-Favreau
Friday, April 6, 2012.
Business hours: 8am – 6pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Monday, April 9, 2012.
Business hours: 8am – 6pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Y centre
Sunday, April 8, 2012.
There will be no group fitness classes.

Monday, April 9, 2012.
Business hours: 8am – 8pm
There will be no group fitness classes.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Y centre
Please call the centre for details.

Pointe-Saint-Charles Y centre
Friday April 6th, 2012.
Business hours: 9am – 7pm
There will be no group fitness classes, youth or teen activities

Saint-Laurent Y centre
Friday, April 6, 2012.
Business hours: 6:30am to 9:30pm
All services, except those in the swimming pool, will be closed.

West Island Y centre
Please call the centre for details.

Westmount Y centre
Please call the centre for details.

The YMCAs of Québec to take part in Earth Hour!

For a few years now, The YMCAs of Québec has made a commitment to the planet by supporting sustainable models and behaviours.

It is in this spirit that The YMCAs of Québec, thanks to an initiative by the Sustainable Y Committee, took part in last year’s global “Earth HourTM” event presented by the WWF. Again this year, thousands of organizations, municipalities, and cities worldwide will take part in order to encourage citizens to reduce their energy consumption in a sustainable manner.

To mark the event, on Saturday, March 31, between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., the YMCA will turn of its lights in order to highlight efforts that we can all make to help reduce energy consumption. We invite the Y community (members, partners, volunteers, employees) to participate in the event by turning off the lights in your homes.

This simple gesture could have an impact if we collectively take action to help reduce our energy consumption... Have ideas on how we can reduce our energy consumption? Visit The YMCAs of Québec Facebook page and share your thoughts!

Downtown Y centre - closing at 9pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012.

The centre will reopen on March 15 2012, at its usual hours.

Thank you for your comprehension,

The Management

Celebrate International Women’s Day at the Y!

To celebrate International Women’s Day, the YMCAs of Québec are opening their doors to Québec women of all ages! On March 8, women are invited to participate FREE OF CHARGE in the wide range of classes and fitness programs offered by our Y centres.

Why not take advantage of this opportunity to take part in a special day at a Y centre in the company of your wife, mother, best female friend, sister or grandmother?

Women and girls can do all sorts of exciting activities including aero-kickbox, cardio cycle, yoga and belly dancing or can get information on the many community programs in our Y centres.

To take full advantage of this offer, all you need to do is to bring your photo ID and a padlock when you come to the YMCAs of Québec centre closest to you. The ball is in your court!

The YMCAs of Québec wish all women a very happy International Women’s Day!