Community pushes for answers after Northern Colorado YMCA location announces sudden closure

In Longmont, the local YMCA is closing down at the end of the month for financial reasons, even as residents say it stays busy.

Chris Coker, the CEO for Northern Colorado YMCA, says he can't afford to keep Longmont's doors open any longer as it has been losing money for years. However, some visitors shared that they are skeptical -- as Coker has been accused of mishandling funds in a past audit. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Just days after the closure was announced this week, the Longmont YMCA was packed. On Wednesday, Linda and Steve Andrews were just arriving for a fitness class for people with Parkinson's disease.

"Walking really well today, those classes help," Linda Andrews said to her husband.

Randy Pollard said the class is one of very few of its kind in the area, adding, "I've been coming here for so long. This has been home, you know. So we'd really miss it if it closes."

Another class member, Charlie Corsan, had just learned about the closure and possible end of his class, adding, "I don't know what we're going to do."

Across the parking lot, Danae Higdon was also struggling with the news after she said she taught Zumba at the facility for more than 30 years.

"We were, like, in shock to find out that Feb. 28 is our last day," Higdon said.

The closure means she will be losing her community and only source of income.

"It's been very hard because, you know, my class, my class is like family to me. We all get together here, we all laugh and we all share our problems and dance away all our pain, and very soon we're not going to have this," Higdon said.

Even though Higdon says the Longmont branch consistently reached membership and fundraising goals, CEO Coker says the Longmont branch has lost $500,000 over the last few years, leading to this month's closure.

Coker said he's gotten a lot of hate mail recently and understands that he "could have given more warning" but says he is financially forced to face the "reality of the situation."

Coker says alongside declining donations and less federal funding, the Longmont YMCA only has 300 full paying members while the rest are on a discounted SilverSneakers insurance program.

When CBS Colorado asked Coker if there were enough visitors, even with a full parking lot during CBS Colorado's visit, Coker said, "You can have a lot of people in there, but when they're all paying $4 for a 50,000 square foot plus building, it doesn't add up financially."

Coker estimates the organization would need a $250,000 donation for the Longmont location in order to stay open.

In an effort to save the Longmont YMCA, Coker says he's worked for months to sell it to the city of Longmont and has been working to negotiate a deal. However, the City of Longmont responded to the closure with a statement that they're considering the project but "...no agreement has been reached, and the city has made no commitments."

The city of Longmont does not have a clear timeline for when this project could be addressed next.

"Some of these (visitors) have been there for 40 years as members. It's their family, it's their friends, it's their social life, and we're ripping that away from them. It's not okay, but it's the reality of the situation we're in," Coker said.

Coker says the Longmont YMCA will look into if they can transfer any classes to other Northern Colorado YMCAs in the next few weeks. Northern Colorado YMCA says they will keep preschool and summer camps open.

Meanwhile, Higdon is holding out hope for a solution, sharing "We are very sad, but ... I know we're going to find a way to keep it going, to keep dancing."