The YMCA Springfield Lakes Community Centre has been a long-standing beacon of support and activity for the local community.
Managed by Bec Andlemac, the centre offers a wide range of services and programs that cater to diverse community needs.
The centre’s offerings are diverse, catering to various segments of the community.
The YMCA Springfield Lakes is the only community-led centre in the area, providing essential services without any government funding.
“We rent our rooms to what we call community assets, so everybody that comes here that provides services pay rent,” Bec said.
“We operate as a complete social enterprise here and we’ve been sustainable for the last 10 years doing that which is amazing.”
They host a Muslim prayer group, providing a multicultural space for their prayers and seniors programs have also been a significant focus.
“We did a seniors month program in October last year and what we found from that was that the need for seniors programming was huge,” Bec said.
“They loved it and wanted to keep going and now it’s a general exercise class two days a week with 30-odd ladies participating.”
For parents, the centre runs fully booked Mums and Bubs and playgroup sessions, helping new mothers find their “little village” and Bec highlighted the importance of these groups.
“You see the mums come in a bit shy, and then they find their little village,” she said.
“They meet with other mums and have a good time, which is a huge success in my eyes.”
Additionally, the centre operates Cheeky Monkey’s Pre-Love Closet, providing a space for pre-loved items.
The centre was also a community hub of support during the 2020 hailstorm that devastated most of the Greater Springfield region.
“When the 2020 hail storm happened, we opened our doors and we were here 13 days, offering three meals a day and had Energex and Lifeline at the centre,” she said.
“It was honestly probably my proudest piece of work, to be able to provide a safe place for the Springfield community.”
Visit the YMCA Springfield Lakes Facebook page for more information on classes or events.
