The City of Shreveport will relocate all of its recreational programs from the Allendale YWCA to other locations within the City.

This decision comes one day after the YWCA missed a City-imposed deadline to agree to a City proposal to continue to operate programs in the Allendale facility. On January 11, 2008 the YWCA terminated a 2006 agreement which allowed the City to offer recreational programs in the Allendale facility. This move by the YWCA forced the City to look for other locations for its programs.

The City plans to relocate most of its programs for children and seniors to its Lakeside Community Center. Most of the programs which used the heated pool at Allendale will be relocated to the Downtown YMCA, which has graciously agreed to accommodate the senior swimming programs, SPAR’s lifeguard classes and some of the adaptive programs provided to Caddo Parish school students. One of the adaptive recreation classes is planned to be relocated to a heated pool elsewhere in Caddo Parish.

As a result, no one who was being served at the Allendale facility will be deprived of services. Mayor Cedric B. Glover praises the agencies which have stepped up and made this change possible. “This is a great example of good people working together to assure that these needed programs continue. That has been our focus all along.”

The relocated programs will begin early next week, some as early as next Monday.