The downhill sprint was over in minutes, but Saturday’s Kinderhook Mile race marked the starting line of a much longer endeavor for the Greensburg YMCA.

During an open house after the race, YMCA officials introduced the public to its renovation plans, which will cost up to $2 million.

“This building is very old and expensive to maintain, so updates will help a lot,” YMCA board member and Treasurer Jay Bell said.

The plan calls for renovated locker rooms with a new family changing room. The first floor will be rearranged, making room for a larger lobby. There will be a new group exercise room and a larger child watch section.

“I think it will really add to the experience for families,” Bell said.

The Kinderhook Mile is a nod to the Greensburg YMCA’s long history, sports director Shawn Rause said.

Named after the city’s Kinderhook neighborhood, the one-mile dash down Maple Avenue was first held in 1981 and was an annual event until it fizzled out in the early 2000s. The YMCA brought it back last year.

“This is a fun day,” he said. “We like to get the kids out, we like to have it family-oriented as well as having some elite runners.”

Top runners finished the one-mile race in about five minutes.

The short race attracts all kinds of runners, Rause said. There were many children who participated, as well as their parents and a few family pets.

The Y threw a block party after the race with food, exercise classes, a bounce house and a tour of its 106-year-old building on Maple Street. During the tour, officials shared information and answered questions about the renovation plan.

The Greensburg YMCA has spent about $1.5 million on improvements since 2013. It has redesigned its gym and pool, repaired its facade and rebuilt its front porch.

Officials hope to raise an equal amount or more for the organization’s future plans.

Work will be done in phases.

The first phase, renovating the women’s locker room, will begin soon thanks to a $125,000 grant from an anonymous local foundation, according to YMCA CEO George O’Brien.

The locker room has been closed more than a year because of mechanical problems. Women have been using the separate girl’s locker room, which will eventually become a family changing space.

The Y will continue to seek grants from local foundations, and will launch a major public fundraising drive in late summer or early fall, O’Brien said.

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