We can surely understand the sadness of some in the community when news that the Eastside YMCA building is being put up for sale.

The building holds a special place for many east side residents who found refuge in the Second Street building when it housed the 2XL program and then, when 2XL faded away, became the Eastside YMCA. We shared some of those stories in Wednesday’s edition. They were a reminder of the impact some agencies can have, and at the same time provide an example of how so much can change in a relatively short period of time.

The closure of the 2XL program came around the same time as the closure of the Joint Neighborhood Project that was also formerly located on Second Street. Both programs were institutions for east side residents. The loss of those programs could have been horrible for those who counted on the services they provided. But instead new programs sprung up tailored to meet changing needs.

That seems to be happening again. Little had been happening recently in the Eastside YMCA, which was really an attempt by the YMCA to make sure those served by 2XL had programs available to them. In the years since the YMCA took over the building, many programs have been transferred into school-based afterschool programs that are even easier on parents. Now, the YMCA is looking at a new building on the Jamestown Community College campus a short distance away from the Eastside YMCA building, making the old Second Street property a surplus.

The St. Susan Center is changing. Community Helping Hands is asking for help as its board tries to figure out the best ways to help its clientele. The UCAN City Mission is branching out into new types of shelters. Recovery Options Made Easy is stepping up to help the homeless with Code Blue shelters. The Mental Health Association is adding new groups and programs.

What happened over the past 20 years at the Eastside YMCA program is instructive as we look toward the future. Groups that once seemed like institutions could be but a memory 20 years from now. New partnerships can make familiar old buildings we love become obsolete. Remember the good times and the good things that happened at the Eastside YMCA and Joint Neighborhood Project, but realize their time has come and gone. The only constant is the need for agencies to help those who otherwise would fall through the cracks of society.