DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — The Piscataquis Regional YMCA in Dover-Foxcroft will be closing its doors, leaving many people who use the Y devastated by the announcement.
Its board of directors made the decision Friday, citing a decline in revenue and rising operational costs.
The pool closed immediately, and the remaining facility will gradually close throughout the month.
"For our family it hit really hard," Medford resident Kayla Maioriello said.
Maioriello has eight kids, and many of them use the YMCA.
One of her kids relies on its after-school program: her five-year-old son Legend, who is autistic.
"He was getting bad reports; he's screaming at teachers," Maioriello said. "When he started at the Y, everything changed."
Maioriello said Legend's behavior improved and he's starting to love school. Now with the YMCA closing, she's worried about her son.
"I feel like it's really gonna be a setback. I feel like we're gonna go back to the negative reports, him just being overwhelmed," Maioriello said.
Maioriello is just one of many parents in Piscataquis County concerned about the closure.
For Victoria Flynn, the YMCA's pool has been a huge asset in teaching her kids to swim.
"I mean, I cried. It was a huge shock," Flynn said. "The thought of having to tell my kids that swim team won't be happening this year was really heartbreaking."
After the closure, all Piscataquis Regional YMCA memberships will be refunded or honored at the Old Town/Orono YMCA, which the Piscataquis location is a branch of.
Scott Wilcox, Old Town/Orono YMCA CEO, said the decision to close the Piscataquis Regional YMCA was not made lightly.
"We feel for people that are gonna feel that hardship, empathetic to that, but at the same point, we couldn't continue to operate it," Wilcox said.
According to Wilcox, after the closure, about 45 people will lose their jobs.
One of those employees is yoga instructor Camille Grace. She felt blindsided by the announcement and is now uncertain about her future.
"There just aren't that many jobs in the fitness industry because there aren't that many people in this area, so we'll see, I don't know, I really don't know," Grace said.
More important to Grace is the loss of community at the YMCA.
"It's a place where everybody can come, no discrimination, it's very accepting," Grace said.
Wilcox said going forward, they're trying to do what’s best for the building and the community, wanting to sell it to someone who can utilize the facility.
Maioriello and many more people in Piscataquis County are hopeful that the YMCA can stay open under a new owner.
"When you find people who accept your children for who they are and all their quirks, you fight," Maioriello said.
Right now, the facility is planned to officially shut down by Nov. 1.