YMCA Buffalo Niagara develops new plan for summer camp

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Niagara YMCA has abandoned plans to build a new 60,000-square-foot wellness center in North Buffalo and instead opted for a more affordable option that it says will still meet the needs of city residents.

The change comes after the nonprofit struggled to meet fundraising goals for its original planned Elmwood Avenue project, which has ballooned in cost from $20 million to about $30 million in recent years.

“We could have continued down the path of a brand new facility, but it might have taken decades to get there and we felt our community deserved something sooner than that,” said YMCA Buffalo Niagara President and CEO John Ehrbar.

Instead of a new wellness center, the YMCA announced plans Monday to build a new year-round summer camp and community event space called YMCA Camp Swan.

The YMCA hopes to break ground on the camp next spring and open it in April 2026.

The camp will be located on the same 7-acre site the nonprofit purchased in 2021 to build the wellness center amid discussions to consolidate its locations at Ken-Ton and Delaware Avenue.

Renderings of the initial project were released last spring, but according to Ehrbar, they did not bring in any additional money for the project.

Camp Swan will cost about $5 million, of which 80 percent, or about $4 million, has already been raised. Of that, $2.5 million was donated by the William E. and Ann L. Swan Foundation, in whose honor the camp will be named.

2 On Your Side asked Ehrbar if he was disappointed that the center didn’t come to fruition.

“I’ve worked for the YMCA my entire career, so I’m really excited to do this. Yes, we wanted to build a building, but I think this could have an even bigger impact than a building could have given us,” Ehrbar added.

He noted that the YMCA is not alone in its financial challenges, and other nonprofits have also been impacted by increased construction and operating costs. Ehrbar said the YMCA’s revenue and budget have only recently recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The YMCA anticipates that Camp Swan will host 200 children per week through its summer camp program and summer learning programs. Additional programs will be held during the fall and spring shoulder seasons.

“Whether it’s learning to swim in the pool, creating a craft to show their parents, learning to compete in sports or just laughing with new friends, this camp will create lasting memories for children,” said Brenna Lupo, YMCA vice president of education and child care services.

Camp Swan will include a basketball court and swimming pool, as well as several enclosed buildings for other events and activities. The camp’s initial design also allows for some flexibility.

According to Ehrbar, the new wellness center is to be located on a multi-purpose site.

He joked that if a $40 million check landed on his desk, they would be happy to do both.