Piscataquis Region Reeling At News Their Y Will Close Permanently

People in the Dover-Foxcroft area are scrambling to find other options for fitness and childcare as the news hit this week that the Piscataquis Regional YMCA would be closing for good.

The Board of Directors of the Y stated that the facility, which has been open since the late 1980s, would be shutting its doors at the end of this month.

"After-effects of the pandemic, reduction in memberships, programming, and declining public funds proved to be a combination of obstacles too great for the Piscataquis Regional YMCA to continue operations. Unfortunately, as a result of the declining revenues and escalating expenses, it was a clear decision that operations were financially unsustainable."

"The pool will shut down immediately and other services will be closing over the coming weeks... Membership dues will not be drafted on or after November 1, 2024."

Members were told that all memberships and programs would be refunded, and those who are interested in Y programming and are willing to travel will have their existing memberships honored by the Old-Town Orono YMCA.

The community voiced its disappointment with the decision in the comments section of the social media post, saying...

"This is my daughter’s “winter time home” to let out some energy in the pool,& the little room of toys. The decision is understandable… but it’s still devastating news."

Others mentioned their frustration:

"Horrible news, we finally found a program that our autistic child loves going to after school and has behaved so well at school to earn his Y time. The community of DF is going to suffer so much from this."

Some offered acknowledgment and appreciation of the years of programming the Piscataquis Regional YMCA has provided for folks in the community.

"Thank you to the wonderful staff over the past few years that my son has been attending programs. The Y was the first thing we checked out when we moved here and has been such a valuable resource for us. Such a huge loss for the community! "

Members with questions were advised to reach out to the Y's CEO, Scott Wilcox, by emailing him at scott.wilcox@otoymca.org.