Thousands Celebrate Dogpatch YMCA Dedication With Live Music, Lion Dance, and Youth Festival

Business Wire

03-05-2025

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The YMCA of Greater San Francisco today welcomed civic leaders, partners and community members to celebrate the official dedication ceremony of the newly opened Dogpatch YMCA at Crane Cove. It marked a significant investment in the waterfront neighborhood and a bold new chapter in the organization's mission to support youth, families and well-being across the region.
The ceremony coincided with the YMCA's second annual Y for Youth Community Festival, which welcomed an estimated 2,500 attendees to Crane Cove Park for a dynamic afternoon of lion dance performances, live music, youth-centered activities, waterfront recreation and family wellness programming - all set against San Francisco's revitalized southeastern waterfront.
'This is a landmark day for the YMCA, the Dogpatch neighborhood and the vibrant communities we are proud to serve,' said Jamie Bruning-Miles, CEO of the YMCA of Greater San Francisco. 'The new branch at Crane Cove is a welcoming space where people of all ages can come together, strengthen their well-being and build lasting community. Today's celebration offers just a glimpse of the meaningful connections and opportunities that lie ahead.'
The ribbon-cutting featured remarks from community leaders District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton and Port of San Francisco Executive Director Elaine Forbes. They were joined by YMCA Board Chair Gina Gregory Burns, Enrique Landa of Associate Capital, Deborah Loker Hicks of the Loker Foundation and John Kelly of Dome Construction - all of whom played key roles in making the project possible.
'Today's celebration is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we center community voice and work together with purpose,' said Supervisor Shamann Walton. 'The Dogpatch YMCA at Crane Cove is more than a beautiful new space - it's an investment in equity, wellness and access for the people of District 10 and all San Franciscans. I'm proud to stand with the YMCA, the Port and so many committed partners in opening a place that reflects the strength, resilience and future of our city's southeast neighborhoods.'
Located along the revitalized waterfront at Crane Cove Park, the Dogpatch YMCA is the organization's 15th branch - and its first new facility built in San Francisco in 30 years. Its location expands access to wellness programming in one of the city's fastest-growing neighborhoods. Housed in a reimagined historic warehouse, the branch offers a broad range of programs including group fitness classes, wellness coaching, access to water sports through a partnership with Dogpatch Paddle and daily engagement with nature via playgrounds, picnic spaces and beach access.
Designed with deep community input and collaboration from the YMCA's Board of Directors, the Port of San Francisco, the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association, Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association and other local stakeholders, the facility reflects the spirit and aspirations of the neighborhood it serves.
The ribbon-cutting also marked the growing momentum of the YMCA's broader vision for the area: a future 25,000 square foot flagship wellness and aquatic center at Power Station, the mixed-use development led by Associate Capital, set to rise just blocks away.
'The opening of the Dogpatch YMCA at Crane Cove is a proud milestone for this neighborhood and for the Power Station project,' said Enrique Landa, Managing Partner at Associate Capital. 'It's a shining example of how thoughtful collaboration can bring meaningful, inclusive spaces to life - places where families, young people and neighbors can come together to thrive. As we look ahead to the next chapter with the expanded YMCA at Power Station, we're excited to continue building a healthier, more connected San Francisco.'
That broader vision took a major step forward today with the announcement of a transformative $3 million grant from the Loker Foundation to support the future Aquatic Center at Power Station. This contribution will help expand access to water safety, swim instruction and community programs in an area historically underserved by aquatic facilities.
'Access to recreation, water safety and wellness programs is essential for building healthy communities,' said Deborah Loker Hicks, Board Chair of the Loker Foundation. 'By collaborating with the YMCA - whose mission so closely aligns with our foundation's focus on health and education - we are proud to help bring the future Aquatic Center at Power Station to life and expand opportunities for families across San Francisco.'
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About the YMCA of Greater San Francisco:
With 15 branches in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco promotes individual and community well-being through wellness programs, youth development and critical social services. The programs and services at each local Y are shaped by the needs and aspirations of the people it serves, building strong bonds of connection at the community level. Through partnerships with neighborhood associations, schools, civic leaders and businesses, the Y continues to evolve and expand, providing safe spaces in which people can be authentic, belong to a welcoming community, and become their best selves. Learn more at www.ymcasf.org