FROM LEFT, NORTHERN LIGHTS YMCA maintenance director Greg Hendricks and Center Director Jonathan Ringel inspect a piece of plexiglass that was hung at the front counter as part of the facility’s effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. (Ron Deuter photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Northern Lights YMCA will reopen its doors to the public Wednesday after being shuttered since mid-March under state mandate due to the threat of the coronavirus.

The full YMCA Dickinson Center, including the pool, is set to open at 5 a.m. Wednesday.

“We are so excited to finally welcome our members back again,” Dickinson Center Director Jonathan Ringel said. “The support of our members has helped sustain our operations during this unprecedented closure. We can’t wait to get back to normal operations and help people improve the overall health and wellness of our community.”

During the state shutdown, the Systems Control Little Sparks Child Care Center at the YMCA remained opened to nearly two dozen preschoolers, many of them children of those considered essential workers.

But the YMCA did have to lay off nearly all of its staff and draft a new budget for the remainder of the calendar year that has cuts across the board. The financial situation would have been even gloomier for the non-profit organization if not for continued support from a large percentage of its membership, along with help from a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the federal government.

The YMCA asked members in March to remain active with their membership, even offering a 50-percent support level.

YMCA officials estimated more than 80 percent of its membership remained active, either at full pay or the reduced support level, during the closure.

“We were truly blown away by the outpouring of support from our members,” Ringel said. “We are so thankful for their generosity. It just goes to show how much everyone in our community values having this facility.”

The full scale of YMCA programs and services will resume in stages over the next several months, with immediate priority being given to providing a safe environment for members and offering a summer day camp for area youth. Summer day camp is set to begin Monday.

“We have been in constant communication with our board of directors, our COVID taskforce and local health departments in order to formulate the safest re-opening plan we can for our members,” Ringel said.

With health and safety a priority, the YMCA is providing physical barriers where required, along with ways to sanitize hands and perform additional wipe down and cleaning on hard contact surfaces and equipment.

The YMCA will promote social distancing and screen participants as required. The sauna remains closed until further notice.

“If you’re not feeling well, we kindly ask that you remain home and do not come to the YMCA,” Ringel said.

Some additional changes for the YMCA’s reopening include:

— The YMCA will be on summer hours — 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and closed Sundays. This schedule continues through the Labor Day holiday.

— Staffing at the welcome desk will be minimal for the next weeks. Please be patient.

— No children younger than 14 will be allowed in the facility without parental supervision.

— Tot watch will be closed until further notice.

— No youth sports programs will take place this summer other than day camp.

— Aquatics programming and swim lesson schedules will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information, go to the YMCA’s Facebook page or call 906-774-4076.