Flashback to 1883: Pomona was growing into a populous center of the region (which at the time was mostly farmland). Civic leaders, with knowledge of the worldwide growth of the YMCA and its emphasis on youth character building, decided to form a YMCA association for Pomona, and so they did soon afterwards (1884).
Their first project was to open up a religious reading room in the 2nd story of the Pomona Bank:

It was stocked with approximately 100 books, donated by the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
A few years later, the new YMCA membership helped to find employment for youth, and cared for the sick and elderly in Pomona Valley.
Fast forward about 35 years to 1919: D. C. Crookshank called together a small group of men, and said, "men, now is the time to build a Y.M.C.A. in Pomona. The war is over and let us build this as a memorial to the World War Veterans." The idea was received enthusiastically, and within days, the donations started rolling in. The site chosen for the new building was the former site of the Palomares Hotel, which had been a social center of Pomona, prior to it burning down in 1912:

ymca
The new YMCA quickly became a major center of social activity in Pomona, with a steady stream of young and old, wealthy and poor, passing through the doors each day. According to R. D. Williams, the General Secretary for the Pomona YMCA in 1924, "The purpose of the Board of Directors has been to make the Y.M.C.A. the center of Christian, Social, Educational and Civic activities. Their hopes have been realized."
Here are a few photos of the YMCA in the 1920s:

day camp volleyball

Throughout the 1930s, the YMCA provided assistance to veterans (including free access to the facilities), and to those who were out of work during the depression (including job-placement).

A few photos from the 1930s:

pool gym

kite

Through the 1940s, a few of the changes included converting the auditorium into a gymnasium (along with other renovations), the building of several camps in the Sierra Nevada, and adding a sign on Garey Ave.:

Y sign

In 1949, the Pomona Y's constitution was changed to allow women full memberships. Prior to that time (beginning in 1923), there was a women's auxiliary (seen as a precursor to a separate, future YWCA), which provided women and girls use of the facilities, but with access limited to certain days and hours.
In 1953, it was concluded that Pomona YMCA facilities needed to be expanded. When the facilities were first built in the 1920s, the population of Pomona was around 20,000. But by the 1950s, the population had grown to approximately 63,000. So, plans were drawn up for a major expansion, and a price tag of $200,000 determined. The new expansion would include 2 indoor handball courts, expanded women & girls locker areas, additional men's & boy's locker areas, additional resident rooms, and a variety of other modifications and renovations.
Fund-raising for the new expansion took longer than hoped, and so by the late 1950s, inflation had raised the price tag of the new expansion to $300,000. But thanks to many generous contributions (including a $50,000 matching donation from the Pitzers, of Pitzer College) in 1957, construction began:
additionadditionb
Meanwhile, in 1956, outposts in San Dimas and LaVerne were started for the purpose of providing services in those communities. For the years that followed, these branches worked out of small offices and storefronts.
Through the `60s, the property east of the YMCA was purchased, a playground was built on it, a running track was added to the gymnasium, and the "Community Club" (financial assistance program) was expanded to include residents of LaVerne, Claremont, San Dimas, Walnut, and Diamond Bar.
In 1967, the Pomona YMCA association changed its name to the Pomona Valley YMCA, to better reflect the scope of its work.
In 1970, the Diamond Bar/ Walnut branch facility was chartered and opened.
In 1984, the Pomona Valley YMCA celebrated its 100th anniversary.
A lot has happened since 1884, and the Pomona YMCA had served tens of thousands of people during that time. Now we're heading into the 21st century, ready to take on the challenges facing this day and age, here in Pomona Valley. Join us!

YMCA of Pomona Valley