KCK community launches Facebook effort to save 8th Street YMCA

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A community staple in downtown Kansas City, Kan., may shut its doors. Now, people who live and work in KCK launched an Internet campaign to save the 8th Street YMCA.

Attorney Don Taylor’s first experience at the location was when he was just a child.

“I was a parishioner and student at St. John the Baptist, on Strawberry Hill, and my father brought me down to the Y when I was about 10 years old. That's a long time. I am over 50 so that's 40 years myself,” Taylor said.

His law office is across the street from the YMCA, and he even met his law partner there. Taylor was shocked when he heard the facility might be closing.

“I just found out last week, on Friday, by a telephone call from my partner. I was out of town and he said, 'They are closing our Y, so I am heading over there right now to see who can say anything about it at all,"” he said.

The news traveled quickly. Concerned citizens launched a Facebook page called Save the 8th Street YMCA .

As of Monday afternoon, it had almost 150 "likes" and was flooded with comments.

We reached out to YMCA of Greater Kansas City officials for comment. They said they were not conducting interviews with the media on Monday. We scheduled an interview with the CEO for Tuesday morning.

YMCA members are trying to stay optimistic.

“If the only problem is a financial contribution, I would think there is enough people that have a vested interest in the downtown KCK Y that some solution could be reached," attorney John O'Conner said.

Members said the 8th Street YMCA is an important part of KCK’s downtown community because of its rich history and close ties. They said if it shuts down, it will be a big loss.