The following describes an outcome this campaign is working toward. It has not happened, and nothing here is a statement by the YMCA, the county or any other organization.
We believe the best outcome goes beyond simply stopping a sale. Ideally, this campus remains a Y—continuing the vital programs our community relies on while expanding access for neighbors who have been underserved. However, if staying with the Y is no longer an option, our vision is to preserve the campus under a sustainable alternative model: a community land trust to hold the land, paired with a non-profit operating partner to run a comprehensive health, wellness, and youth services hub for south Mecklenburg.
In either future, essential programs continue and grow. By braiding together public funding, corporate partnerships, and philanthropy, the campus will sustain itself rather than depending on any single benefactor.
This campaign has never been about opposing any organization; it is about protecting an inclusive community anchor built over decades by the time, talent, and treasure of local donors who turned pasture land into a reality. We believe the final outcome can be far greater than anything proposed this past June.
Recognizable platforms that attract participants, partners and funding.
Tiered offerings from introduction through college readiness, an AAU partnership, a Unified Sports Academy bringing athletes with and without disabilities together, and a Special Olympics North Carolina training and competition hub.
Morrison Scholars: a year-round platform combining after-school, tutoring, STEM, coding and AI, college prep, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, internships and mentoring, built with CMS, universities and corporate sponsors.
ESL, workforce English, citizenship preparation, job readiness, digital and financial literacy, credential navigation and employer connections, with economic mobility coaching throughout.
Adaptive sports, neuro-fitness, inclusive recreation, adaptive camps, caregiver support and transition-to-adulthood programming, with accessible fitness, aquatics and sensory spaces across the campus.
A community bridge between clinical rehabilitation and independent living, built with hospitals, therapists, universities and workforce boards. Clinical partners deliver care; Morrison provides the platform for lifelong participation and employment.
Strength and balance, aquatics, fall prevention, chronic-condition wellness, pickleball and social connection, plus neuro-aging programming and a caregiver connection for education and resource navigation.
Mental wellness as a cross-cutting priority: resilience, social-emotional learning, stress management and family wellness. Morrison serves as a community front door, connecting people to licensed providers rather than replacing clinical care.
A leadership academy for emerging leaders, new managers and executives, covering strategic thinking, communication, negotiation and inclusive leadership, alongside executive retreats and corporate wellness.
A formal partnership with Charlotte Parks & Recreation: Morrison provides indoor facilities, programs and operating expertise, Parks provides fields, trails and outdoor infrastructure, supporting joint tournaments and community events.
A public-private partnerships office pursuing learning centers, workforce, community services and disability program funding, braiding public money with earned revenue, corporate support and philanthropy.
A plan this size only becomes credible if enough of this community stands behind it.