YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids Aims to Make the Mary Free Bed YMCA the First Building in the World to have Universal Design Certification

“Our community is embarking on the remarkable mission of building the first health and wellness facility in the world specifically designed to equally serve both able-bodied individuals   as well as those with a variety of disabilities,” said Ron Nelson, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids. “We are grateful for our partnership with Peter Blanck, of the Burton Blatt Institute, and Ed Steinfeld, of the IDeA Center, among the world’s foremost experts in universal design, and honored to have the opportunity to receive the first Global Universal Design Certification under the new guidelines. We also greatly appreciate the Mary Free Bed Guild for their thoughtful collaboration on this state-of-the-art facility.”