Last summer, a plumbing leak flooded the basement of the Park South YMCA in South Dallas. The basement, or as members called it, “the dungeon,” was home to many of the youth programs the Park South YMCA offered. The YMCA then applied for a $30,000 grant from the Real Estate Council in hopes of renovating the badly damaged area. From the Associate Leadership Council Web site:

The Real Estate Council’s Associate Leadership Council (ALC) is a leadership development program designed to encourage 27- to 37-year-olds in the commercial real estate industry to assume leadership roles in the community. As part of this educational leadership program, the class selects and implements a real estate-related community service project. When they finish their year-long program, class members become a part of the ALC Alumni Association and participate in ongoing events and activities.

The 2010 ALC project called Champion City encompassed the renovation of an existing lower-level classroom, office and utility space at Park South YMCA that was damaged in a flood. The Park South YMCA branch was built in 1972 and is located two miles south of Fair Park. The renovated space will be used for enrichment classes and a mentoring program. The space was unveiled and officially opened on May 27th. In total, The project received $30,000 in grants and $78,000 in donations. The class put in over 2,000 man-hours estimated to be worth $91,440. The class surpassed even their own expectations by creating a safe place for kids to spend time. The ALC class hopes the $200,000 project will create leverage for a $500,000 construction project at Park South YMCA needed to adequately serve the 1,500 families that use the facility.

Reel FX donated time and manpower to paint the murals. And Art&Seek was there for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly named basement, “Champion City.” It’s all in the video above.