Pasadena Y Ready to Move to Larger Facility

Pasadena’s YMCA has grown beyond its building’s capacity, so its directors signed a lease this month to move into a facility twice the size of its current site, officials said Tuesday.

The organization will move to a 3,600-square-foot space in the Altadena Professional Building this month from its current 1,450-square-foot site, said James B. Black, YMCA chief executive officer. “The decision to move should have been made three years ago,” Black said. The current facility is “an absolute fire hazard. There is no parking.”

Among other programs, Outreach offers acting classes and performances have had audiences spilling out the auditorium, said Jacques Bolton, executive director of the Outreach program. He said the new facility should take care of the seating constraints.

Outreach will also have more space in its new facility to expand its audio program--an experiment that resulted in Voices Against Violence, an album of original songs written and performed by children. Professional musicians and engineers donated their time to play and record 14 of the youngsters’ songs for the album, which is due in stores later this month, Bolton said.

Plans include new physical fitness programs for toddlers through senior citizens, self-defense classes and a video department to match its audio department.