Our History

The Young Men’s Christian Association began in 1844 in London, England.  In 1851, the first American YMCA opened in Boston, Massachusetts providing meeting and reading rooms, prayer meetings, lectures, and assistance to young men looking for jobs.  Not long after, in November of 1865 Edwin Ripley, John Worscester Jr, and Edward Peck met in a small room over Wheeler and Ripley’s hardware store at 200 College Street in Burlington to pray for the men of the city.  Their membership to their prayer meetings would grow over the next six months.  On May 28, 1866 Ripley, Worcester, Peck, and ten others signed the constitution of the Burlington Young Men’s Christian Union. 

Just 20 years later, the YMCA purchased its first building at 129 Church Street.  Sadly, the building was destroyed by fire a year later.  Over the next two years the YMCA would rebuild, reopening in 1889 with improvements including a gymnasium, association hall, and residence rooms.  While housed on Church Street the YMCA began Vermont’s first physical education program and also offer the state’s first camping program, Camp Abnaki. 

In 1928, the YMCA fell to fire again.  Despite the Great Depression, the YMCA raised funds to build a new building at 266 College Street.  In 1934 the new building opened with a gym, indoor pool, and residence rooms. 

Since its humble beginnings the YMCA has continued to grow and take an active part in the community around it.  In 1942 the YMCA took leadership in forming the United Way.  During World War II the YMCA converted to a USO in order to provide services for members of the armed forces, and from 1949 to 1952 the Y’s fourth floor was served as a dormitory for American GIs.

As the climate and the community changed, the YMCA once again adapted to meet community needs.  In 1970s, the Y opened Camp Greylock, a co-ed summer day camp and began the preschool and kindergarten programs.  In the 1980s a lap pool was added and the new nautilus and cardio center opened on College Street. And with a growing number of parents in the workforce, the YMCA began what would become the largest provider of childcare in the state of Vermont in 1987.

Through the 1990s the Y continued to grow and change. This change began with a capital campaign that raised more than $1 million for facility renovations.  Over the decade the Y opened more than five additional early childcare sites.  In 2007 all of the YMCA’s early childhood programs received 5 Stars from the state of Vermont, their highest ranking. In 2008, the YMCA proudly became part of the O’Brien Community Center in Winooski; its first satellite health and fitness facility.

The Greater Burlington YMCA has a long and proud tradition of being the center of the Burlington Community.  From its humble beginnings above a hardware store on College Street, to the facility and programs we provide today, the YMCA has grown and changed to meet the needs of the community for over one hundred and forty years. 

The YMCA Today

Today the Greater Burlington YMCA serves approximately 16,000 youth, adults, and families by providing a variety of programming from child care to fitness. One in four of our members receive assistance through our Membership for All Program, ensuring that no one is turned away due to an inability to pay. This means that the YMCA provides access to facilities and programs that might other wise are unattainable.