Our story begins 45 years ago. It all started with a couple of visionary community members, Linda & David Cline, who felt our community would be a better place with a YMCA as part of it. They gathered a like-minded group of people and together the Kelowna Community YMCA-YWCA was established in December 1981 as a legally independent charitable organization. This charity’s first project was operating the newly opened Athans Aquatic Centre on behalf of the City of Kelowna.
As Kelowna has grown over the years, so have we. Today we’re a network of community-focused program sites and serve a vastly more diverse population of individuals and families across BC's Southern Interior.
Here is a timeline that represents our story—the many milestones, goals reached and programs delivered.
| 1981 | The Kelowna Community YMCA-YWCA was established as a legally independent charitable organization and started operating the newly opened Athans Aquatic Centre on behalf of the City of Kelowna. |
| 1983 | The Y began offering the summer Backyard Pool Program, where children learned to swim with confidence in their own pool. |
| 1985 | A full charter was awarded to the Kelowna Community YMCA–YWCA. |
| 1990 | The Y offered After School Programs in two Kelowna schools and one in Westbank, started a Job Finding Club and began operating the Children’s Water Park in downtown Kelowna. |
| 1991 | The Y started to operate Summer Day Camps in Rutland and Winfield. |
| 1997 | Marked the opening of our Career Contact Centre for Youth (C3) in Kelowna. |
| 2001 | The Y entered a partnership with the City to manage the Kelowna Family Y and expand it by 5,000 square feet. |
| 2002 | The Kelowna Family Y participated in CAP program funded by Industry Canada to provide internet access to the general public. |
| 2004 | YMCA-YWCA of the Central Okanagan reached 2,500 memberships. The Y introduced new parenting programs—Pre-natal Wellness and Pre-teen Parenting. |
| 2007 | The Y expanded child care programs into three new elementary schools and implemented Coach Approach. $68,000 was raised by the Y’s Strong Kids Campaign. |
| 2008 | The Y signed agreements with the City of Kelowna to manage the new Mission Aquatic Centre and with Okanagan College to operate a child care centre; further developed the expansion plan for the Kelowna Family Y; and launched Jumpstart Employment Essentials, a program for youth experiencing multiple barriers to employment. |
| 2009 | H2O Adventure + Fitness Centre officially opened to the public in April and Little Scholars YMCA Playing to Learn Childcare and Preschool Centre began serving families in September. By the end of 2009, the Kelowna Family Y Capital Expansion Campaign raised $4M towards the $5M goal. |
| 2010 | Surpassed our goal and raised $5.7M to expand the Kelowna Family Y to include a gymnasium, walking/running track, youth zone, family resource centre and additional fitness space. |
| 2011 | Opened 18,000 square foot expansion of Kelowna Family YMCA in July. Entered into an agreement with the Silver Lake Forest Education Society to manage year-round operations and child/youth camp programs at Silver Lake Camp. The YMCA-YWCA Career Contact Centre for Youth closed its doors after serving the community since 1997. |
| 2012 | Three WorkBC Centres operated by the YMCA opened in April to serve over 3,000 people annually. The YMCA-YWCA of the Central Okanagan changed its name to YMCA of Okanagan to focus on the YMCA’s mission to build a healthy community for all ages, genders, beliefs and circumstances. |
| 2013 | 28,323 children, teens, adults and seniors were served through 12 YMCA program sites. The Kelowna Family YMCA and H2O Adventure + Fitness Centre surpassed 10,000 memberships. |
| 2014 | The Kelowna Family YMCA received new aquatic change rooms and a significantly larger family change space. Three new out of school care sites opened in West Kelowna, including Beyond the Bell—a donor-funded after-school program that closes learning gaps for children in Grades 1-5. |
| 2017 | The Kelowna Downtown YMCA opened, expanding the Y’s reach locally and facilitating some unique health partnerships. The YMCA began operating the Kelowna Senior Secondary Child Care Centre and Young Parent Program and launched YMCA Mindfulness Programming for ages 13-18. |
| 2018 | Opened the Pandosy Street YMCA where youth can access health, employment, educational and social services and opened Queen’s Park Child Care Centre, expanding our child care services to the South Okanagan. |
| 2019 | Launched free Early Years Programs in the Central and South Okanagan to support the well-being of vulnerable families and their children 0-6 years, as well as a Life Skills Program in Penticton for youth diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disabilities. Over $1 Million distributed in financial assistance and program support. |
| 2020 | Experienced unprecedented challenges and closures due to the worldwide COVID pandemic resulting in the Y adapting its programs and services in innovative and responsive ways to meet critical community needs. |
| 2021 | YMCA Dilworth Mountain Child Care Centre opened with 81 child care and preschool spaces and YMCA Alternative Suspension launched in both Kelowna and West Kelowna. |
| 2022 | The YMCA of Okanagan officially changed its name to YMCA of Southern Interior BC with plans to grow and serve more communities. The Y also launched the Early Childhood Educator Assistant (ECE-A) Training Program, partnered with the Central Okanagan Family Connection Centre to deliver the Y&I Life Skills Program for youth with support needs, and introduced a new ECE Work Integrated Learning program in partnership with Northern Lights College. |
| 2023 | Established the JAIDE Committee, launched Back on Track Penticton, and expanded child care services through the opening of Black Mountain YMCA Child Care and Okanagan Mission YMCA Child Care in partnership with School District 23, as well as Kelowna Airport YMCA Child Care in partnership with KF Aerospace and the City of Kelowna. |
| 2024 | Began operating the Child Care Resource and Referral program, launched a second Beyond the Bell site at Raymer Elementary, and expanded child care services with the opening of George Elliot YMCA Child Care in partnership with School District 23. |
| 2025 | Launched Youth Nights and the Youth Financial Assistance Program, expanded mindfulness programming for youth across the South, Central, and North Okanagan, opened Uplands YMCA Child Care in partnership with School District 67, and opened the lower level of Dilworth YMCA Child Care. |
| 2026 | Provided new recreation opportunities in the South Okanagan by launching community gymnasium programming at local school sites, and opened an expansion of Kelowna Airport YMCA Child Care in partnership with KF Aerospace and the City of Kelowna. |
Jill Siebert's Exemplary Volunteerism
Jill Siebert has been volunteering with the Y since the 80's and has contributed close to 10,000 hours helping thousands of Okanagan children develop invaluable water safety skills through Y swim lessons.