March 9, 2010

Al Austin, above, recently joined the McCrorey Branch YMCA on Beatties Ford Road as executive director. He showed a movie promoting the branch's current services and its place in the development of Charlotte's African-American community.  He noted that the branch now serves a racially and economically diverse area of the community, and that the branch is dedicated to be welcoming to all. He said reminders of the branch's history, however, are displayed on the second floor of the building. Forum members encouraged him to work to have the branch's original site in Second Ward identified with an outdoor historical marker.