A petition has been launched in a bid to keep a Lake District YMCA for the community.
South Windermere Sailing Club – who are based at the YMCA Lakeside North Camp site on the western shore of Windermere – launched the petition due to the impending sale of the 18-acre site, which they fear could result in the loss of community access to the space.
It has been put up for sale by Fylde Coast YMCA after it was identified for disposal following 70 years of ownership to allow investment to continue into the southern end of the site.
While the petition supports the YMCA’s mission, the sailing club is worried that the site and section of waterfront up for sale may be turned over to private development projects such as holiday lodges or private residences.
The North Side camp site is currently used as a outdoor education residential centre and also houses several other businesses open to the community.
These include Old School Kitchen, a café that also provides hot meals to local schools, Lakes Laser Tag, an outdoor action game for all ages from six up, LakesSUP, who offer paddleboard hire and tuition and Freshwater Biological Association, who help protect the health of Cumbria’s freshwater ecosystems.
Sara Speicher, South Windermere Sailing Club’s commodore said: “We want to support YMCA’s mission and provision of outdoor education for young people at YMCA Lakeside.
“We believe that an offer with community value at its heart – that preserves the current natural setting, outdoor and environmental offerings and ongoing collaboration with YMCA Lakeside can provide huge benefits all around.
“We hope the trustees of Fylde Coast YMCA will be able to prioritise purchase offers that meet their own community values and commitment as well as provide the desired long-term investment in YMCA South Camp.”
The club added that it is aware of at least one offer for the site which allows the current tenants to stay while improving facilities and proposing a corporate training operation.
So far, the petition has reached a total of 373 signatures and offers to purchase the site are being currently being submitted, with a deadline of May 31.
The North Camp is available for sale through national agents Sanderson Weatherall and includes a range of buildings, a boat house, landing stages and jetty with 300 meters of water frontage.
Graham Oatridge, CEO of YMCA Fylde Coast said: “YMCA’s core aims are to change and enhance the lives of children and young people, especially those from the most disadvantaged communities.
“Lakeside has been in YMCA ownership for over 70 years. Over this time, it has helped more than one million young people achieve more than they ever thought possible by offering residential outdoor education and learning experiences on the western shores of Windermere.
“We make use of the sites exceptional setting to ensure that our visitors connect to nature whilst also gaining value from the residential experience itself. Whilst with us they get the chance to canoe, sail, rock climb, abseil and zip wire across the bay.
“The sale of North Camp will allow continued investment in the south end of the site. We have a priority to add new outdoor activities to our programme, giving even more options for young people to engage in new experiences and we intend to secure Lakeside’s future for another 70 years.
“The new investment places Lakeside as one of the premier outdoor education sites in the UK and provides young people with high quality dormitory accommodation as well as allowing for large indoor group work to take place.”
Adam Burkinshaw, partner of Sanderson Weatherall acting on behalf of the YMCA said it is expected the site will attract a lot of interest and will appeal to a wide range of uses.
He added: “We are delighted to advise YMCA Fylde Coast and are pleased to bring to the market this unique and prime opportunity in the heart of the Lake District National Park.
“It is expected the property will attract a great deal of interest from a wide range of prospective applicants and we look forward to securing a sale to help the YMCA continue with the fantastic work they do.”
