Legislator Rachel Barnhart issued this statement in response to the closure of the Carlson Metro Center YMCA:
“YMCA’s have closed urban locations across the country in recent years. What makes this particularly painful is that the YMCA chose to invest in the most affluent suburbs instead of the city, where its services are needed the most. The YMCA blames declining membership that management itself caused by investing elsewhere. I am heartbroken for the families and seniors who relied on the Carlson Metro YMCA. I am a glad a task force has been formed to look at reusing the building for community benefit.”