'The closure impacted our active lifestyle': YMCA president

The closing of the YMCA has been thrust back into the spotlight.

YMCA: Committee members at the club's 30th anniversary.

FORMER president of Gayndah YMCA Dael Giddins said it was a sad day when the community sports centre closed its doors to the public in 2016.

As the Heart Foundation named the North Burnett the most physically inactive region in the country this year, the closing of the YMCA was thrust back into the spotlight.

Fitness instructor David Holleran believed the closing of the YMCA had no affect on locals' physical activity, and called the claims ludicrous.

But Mrs Giddins wasn't so sure.

"The closing of the YMCA certainly had an impact on people keeping active as each week we would have an average of 100 people coming through the doors to take part in some kind of sport or community group gathering,” she said.

"Gayndah YMCA was a fantastic facility for the Gayndah Community for 33 years. It was the only YMCA in Australia run by volunteers, which is something we should all be proud of.

"We were very fortunate to have such generous and passionate people to give up their time every week to offer a place for all ages to come and meet whether it was for the mind, the body or the soul.”

Last week Mr Holleran told the Central and North Burnett Times he was one of the instigators in having the facility closed down, due to his belief that it was mismanaged.

"We are very disappointed that Mr Holleran could feel proud of making these comments without any evidence to support the accusations,” Mrs Giddins said.

"He never attended any of our meetings and was not a user of our facility at any time.”

Prior its closing, the National YMCA was required to investigate a complaint regarding the facility.

An audit was conducted resulting in several recommendations, which were rectified.

"The closing of the YMCA was due to us not being able to meet all the requirements needed to be part of the YMCA Movement and also the opening of two private gym facilities which meant reduction in income for us,” Mrs Giddins said.

"Unfortunately for our town these two facilities are no longer operating.”

Mrs Giddins said a dedicated management committee kept the Gayndah YMCA's finances in good health.

She said the YMCA committee wanted the community to know that at no time were people at risk of danger, or the facility mismanaged.