July 3, 2020 4:30 a.m.

The South County YMCA in Canyonville will permanently close.

A release from the YMCA of Douglas County said when the site closed in mid-March due to the COVID-19 situation, there were already concerns regarding financial hardship, aging equipment, and ongoing operating deficits. The letter, signed by Interim CEO Matt Lund and Board President Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, said the economic challenges of COVID-19 for the Y Extension have become insurmountable, and “due to this unprecedented situation, the South County YMCA has unfortunately been put in a position that it must close for the foreseeable future”.

The release said the move has been a difficult decision for the Board of Directors as “the YMCA has been part of this vibrant community and has helped the community thrive in so many ways”. It said numerous options have been explored in an attempt to keep the doors open, and continue delivering YMCA services to the community. Lund and Dannenhoffer said “our finances are close to exhausted, we have no reserve funds, and are unable to take on additional debt”. They said the South County YMCA has experienced several years of operating losses and the most recent 2019 financial statements report a net loss.

Lund and Dannenhoffer said “we must rebuild and restructure to become more sustainable”. They said the hope is to be able to re-evaluate the south county area within the next one to two years, depending on financial security.