WS Chronicle

TEVIN STINSON 

THE CHRONICLE  

The legacy of the Winston Lake YMCA dates back to the 1920s and last week the community got a sneak peek at what the future holds for the branch, which is scheduled to reopen next month as the YMCA REACH Center at Winston Lake 

The branch, which was originally known as the Patterson Avenue YMCA, opened in 1924. The branch served the Black community during the Jim Crow era and racial segregation and was located on Depot Street, which was a hub from Black businesses and entrepreneurship during that time. In 1985, the Patterson Avenue YMCA moved to its current location, 901 Waterworks Road, and was renamed Winston Lake YMCA.  

Last year officials from the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina announced a full renovation of the Winston Lake Y, and rebranding as the Winston Lake REACH Center. Rebranding will increase the amount of wellness and programing space inside the 40+-year-old facility.  

The REACH (Resources for Economic Development, Academics, and Community Health) Center will house a 16,000 sq. ft. full health clinic that will provide primary care and lab and x-ray series. Updates will also include space for job training and GED courses, space for after-school care, and much more. Several local organizations including Novant Health, Goodwill and Financial Pathways will provide programing. 

When discussing the renovations and this next chapter for the branch that still continues to serve the Black community as East Winston’s YMCA, Kenneth Pettigrew, executive director of the Winston Lake Branch, said the partnerships they’ve made with local organizations will help members and the entire East Winston Community in all aspects of life.  

“Through some strategic partnerships, be it with Novant, Goodwill or Financial Pathways, we have an opportunity to touch all the areas of your life. If you want to learn how to budget better, we want to ensure that we can help you do that. If you need to learn new skills in order to enter the work force, we want to ensure this is a place you can come to do that. You don’t have to just come here to sweat, you can come here to learn too,” Pettigrew said. 

A Sneak Peek at the Future  

To mark the beginning of a new era, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held last week at the REACH Center. The event, held on Wednesday, May 14, felt like a family reunion as members and current and former employees came together to see the newly renovated space and talk about the good times they had in the old space. 

Before cutting the ceremonial ribbon, representatives from the YMCA of Northwest NC, Novant Health, Goodwill, Financial Pathways, and local elected officials talked about the impact the REACH Center will have on the community.  CEO of YMCA of Northwest NC, Darryl Head, said the project is rooted in hope, powered by the community, and built for change.  

“This moment has been a long time coming and it represents the largest commitment of resources devoted to the renovation of a single branch in our association history,” Head continued. “The REACH Center is more than a building; it’s where nonprofits come together to collaborate and share resources.” 

Pettigrew, who has led the Winston Lake YMCA since 2022, said now that the major renovations have been completed, he is looking forward to welcoming members back. “For the last 10 months crews have diligently worked to bring this vision of YMCA as a community services hub to life … but now we are charged as members, community volunteers, donors and staff to be the life within these walls,” he said.  

Following the ribbon cutting, those in attendance had the opportunity to tour the building. While making his way through the hallways, Norman Joyner, who served as executive director of the branch from 1985 to 1991 and worked more than 50 years with the organization, said Winston Lake will always hold a special place in his heart.  

“This is in the top three of my YMCA highlights of all time,” Joyner said. “It’s amazing to see how this has progressed and where it is today with the collaboration with other agencies. The other thing is to be able to have this type of facility in this community, in East Winston, to provide services to individual and families … is just out of this world.” 

Mark Your Calendars 

On Tuesday, May 27, the newly remodeled YMCA REACH Center at Winston Lake will officially open the Wellness Center to members. The following week, on Monday, June 2, the branch will reopen with full services including the pool, Kids Zone, group exercise classes and more.  

For more information on the YMCA REACH Center at Winston Lake, including a timeline of the renovations that have been completed, visit https://ymcanwnc.org/reachFAQs.