LA JOLLA – After a long closure, Shepherd YMCA Firehouse in La Jolla is holding a grand reopening public celebration on Saturday, Sept. 6.
From 8 a.m. to noon, the state-of-the-art recreation facility at 7877 Herschel Ave. will hold demonstrations for its eGym, youth dance and exercise classes, and a drawing for a chance to win a free month’s membership.
There will also be an official ribbon-cutting.
Those unable to wait for the building’s grand reopening can visit it beforehand during its Sept. 1-5 preview week to check out the revitalized facility’s brand-new equipment, and see what else is new at their neighborhood Y.
La Jolla Village News caught up with YMCA of San Diego County’s executive director Lucy Murillo and spokesperson Dan Cruz to get the lowdown on what the new re-imagined Shepherd YMCA Firehouse is all about.
Cruz said that Shepherd has something for everyone. “We don’t turn anybody away,” he noted, adding the facility is “youth-focused with our pre-school and after-school programs.”
He pointed out that the facility was revitalized following a community survey. “We did what the La Jolla neighborhood wanted us to do,” he said, pointing out that Shepherd is a satellite facility for the Dan McKinney Family YMCA at 8355 Cliffridge Ave.
Cruz added that one of the many benefits of being a YMCA member is that that entitles you to use any of the county’s 14 branches.
“We listened to the residents and brought programming back, which is a big win,” noted Murillo, adding the upgraded Shepherd facility is about well-being as much as fitness, addressing everything from nutrition to diabetes management and memory loss. “We’ll have a lot of great programs and events that people can try,” she said.
Of Shepherd’s return to public accessibility, Murillo said: “We’re very excited to be back fully opened and ensured that we are serving our community as we love to do.”
What’s so special about Shepherd Family YMCA? “Being located in a historic building that’s unique to La Jolla, there is no other YMCA facility like it in San Diego County,” said Cruz, noting that Shepherd’s being open to residents and families “speaks to the YMCA’s mission.”
Shepherd YMCA Firehouse
This 1930s-era building at 7877 Herschel Ave. is a city of San Diego Historical Landmark that was designed in the Spanish-Mission Revival style. It has been many things over its 90-plus years, beginning as Fire Station Engine Company 13.
Simultaneously, it also housed La Jolla’s first city hall, a police station, a hospital room, and the water department until 1976. The building remained unused for about a decade until the YMCA leased it from the city in the 1980s.
In 2013, the YMCA sought to revitalize the building as part of a satellite branch for La Jolla Village. The firehouse’s exterior was restored according to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. Major interior renovations included exposing the original wood trusses, adding a new mezzanine workout area, all new bathrooms, and breakout exercise and training rooms. All facilities were updated to meet current accessibility requirements.
In 2016, the Shepherd YMCA Firehouse received numerous awards, including San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Orchid Award for Adaptive Re-use/Preservation; San Diego Historic Resources Board Award for Excellence for Architectural Rehabilitation; and Save Our Heritage Organization’s recognition for Historic Preservation.
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