Toronto YMCA Improves Child Safety and Security with Turnstiles

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is one of the largest and most active charitable organizations in the Greater Toronto Area, offering a variety of programs responding to community needs, including education and training, employment and immigrant services, family and youth services, health and fitness programs, child care and camps.  The organization has been in operation for over 160 years and connects with more than 557,000 people annually across 438 locations.  To deliver their services the YMCA employs 5,734 full and part-time staff, along with 5,268 volunteers. The YMCA vision; “That our communities will be home to the healthiest children, teens, and young adults” drives all aspects of their daily operations.

With this in mind, the YMCA of Greater Toronto has been examining how to improve safety and security at all of their facilities.  “Years ago, we used to have our children’s play spaces located outside of the access control areas, making it more convenient for grandparents or other caregivers to pick them up.  In today’s world, that freedom of access is no longer possible,” says Alex Versluis, P.Eng., P.E., CEM, Senior Vice President, Property Management & Development for the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

Most of the current locations use old subway style tripod turnstiles for access control, with members swiping barcoded plastic cards to gain entry.

These units, which had reached the end of their useful life did not permit high volume user throughput to support large events or busy periods at the facility; and they did not support wheelchair or child stroller access. An extensive evaluation found that the Fastlane® Glassgate 150 optical turnstiles from Smarter Security® appeared to offer the best possible price/performance ratio of any turnstiles on the market, as measured against safety, security, and throughput volumes. They were also found to have the best aesthetics for the YMCA lobby environments, where their rounded stainless steel pedestals appear very open and welcoming to members and staff alike, even though they are in fact highly advanced security access control systems.

In November 2017, a competitive procurement process resulted in the award of a contract to Assa Abloy Entrance Systems for the provision and installation of these Glassgate 150 turnstiles for up to 15 YMCA buildings throughout the GTA over the next 18 months.  In addition, and in recognition of the support the YMCA of Greater Toronto affords to other YMCAs, the specially discounted pricing they were able to negotiate will be made available to any other YMCA in Canada that might be interested.

“They were installed at our Cooper Koo location and we haven’t had had any issues in nearly two years of continuous operation,” says Versluis.  “We clearly made the right selection.”  

About the YMCA of Greater Toronto

For well over a century, we’ve provided leadership and worked with partners solving complex social problems to create real, measurable outcomes that have strengthened the social health and fabric of communities. As a charity, the YMCA offers a variety of programs responding to the needs of the community, including education and training, employment and immigrant services, family and youth services, health and fitness programs, child care and camps. Serving the population of Toronto, Durham, Peel, York, Halton and Dufferin County, last year the YMCA connected with more than 557,000 people across 438 locations. www.ymcagta.org

About Smarter Security, Inc.

Smarter Security provides premium and innovative entrance control solutions to help organizations protect their people and assets in a world of ever-present threats. Since 1992, Smarter Security has offered Fastlane turnstiles, the most elegant and intelligent optical turnstiles available, which protect 50% of the Fortune 100, and thousands of commercial and government lobbies on six continents, including many of the world’s most iconic buildings. For more information, please visit http://www.smartersecurity.com.