Date of Plaque Unveiling: 23 November 2006
Speakers: Arthur McClelland
Location: 437 Wellington Street, London, ON (present site of One London Place)
History
The London YMCA was founded by William Bowman on November 28, 1856, just two years after London became a city and just twelve years after the original YMCA was founded in 1844 in England by Sir George Williams. London's YMCA was the third to be established in Canada, preceded only by organizations in Montreal and Halifax, making it the first of its kind in Ontario.
It is believed that the first meeting location of the organization was at the northwest corner of the third floor of the Carling Block. Although the oldest official records only date back to 1876 and the first quarters of the London YMCA cannot be confirmed, it is certain that the organization began leasing rooms on Richmond Street in 1873 and occupied a more permanent property at 394-6 Clarence Street in 1879. This was also around the time that the organization became widely referred to as the YMCA - until this point, it was known as the Church of England Young Men's Christian Association.
When the Salvation Army took over the Clarence Street property, the organization was forced to relocate to its first purpose-built structure, which was on the south-west corner of Wellington Street and Queens Avenue and was officially opened to the public on New Year's Day, 1897. Building the new facility, though extremely costly, brought a wider range of members in the community together, including members of the newly established YWCA. By 1903, the organization was completely debt-free and held a celebration at which mortgages were burned and letters from Sir George Williams were read aloud.
Since the YMCA was founded on the principle that it would complete Christian work in communities that the church was not equipped to do, early objectives of the organization focused on growing a clean mind in a healthy body. It famously featured a "four-fold program" to develop the mental, physical, social and spiritual character of Christian citizens.
In more recent years, services have expanded to focus more on education, health, recreation and volunteerism. Starting in 1951, the organization was officially referred to as the "Y" to signify its changing nature, such as the merging of the men's and women's associations and the reduced focus on Christianity. The Centenary of the London Y in 1956 was celebrated on Sir George Williams' birthday and members of the community mainly celebrated the notable achievements of the organization during wartime. The YMCA has always had a reputation for providing unyielding support and services for all those persons involved in international conflict.
The Y building that stood at Wellington and Queens was demolished after a devastating fire in 1981 and the property sold to Sifton Properties, which constructed One London Place in 1992. A commemorative plaque was unveiled at the YMCA's former site in 2006 by the London Public Library Board's Historic Sites Committee. The London Y currently serves the city from several locations.
