Canandaigua, NY Sands Family YMCA 

Big Program For A Small Town

Canandaigua, New York is a relatively small town (population: 10,600) situated between Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo. Sitting on Canandaigua Lake in the Finger Lakes region is a reason why the new Sands Family YMCA has a robust swimming program.

That program will take advantage of the 10,000-square-foot aquatics center that is part of the new structure. The philanthropist who funded its construction says that he believes it’s important for a community to provide swim training, given the amount of lake recreation that is intrinsic to the community. The entire facility measures 75,000 square feet.

Gro played a central role in programming and interior design of this facility.

This Y also has a primary medical care facility (in partnership with the University of Rochester Medical Center), an early learning center, a teaching kitchen, a hard-court gym, a turf field, plus spaces dedicated to seniors to combat social isolation. It’s a testimony to the integrated nature of the Y movement and its community alliances. The role of architecture and design was to respond to and support these kinds of partnerships.