MetroWest YMCA Aims to Build Ashland Facility to Honor Team Hoyt Legacy

The MetroWest YMCA has revealed plans to construct a new facility in Ashland in tribute to the late Dick and Rick Hoyt. This facility, which will be named the Team Hoyt Community YMCA, honors the legacy of the father-son racing duo who participated in more than 1,000 races, including 32 Boston Marathons, together. 

During their lifetime, the Hoyts advocated for inclusion for individuals of all abilities in athletics and everyday life. Dick Hoyt died in 2021 at the age of 80, and Rick Hoyt, who was born with cerebral palsy, passed away in 2023 at the age of 61. During competitions, Dick was often seen pushing Rick in a specialized wheelchair.

The new Team Hoyt Community YMCA will occupy 12.5 acres at 30 Memorial Drive in Ashland, a site within reach of several surrounding communities, including parts of Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, and Sherborn. The project's cost is estimated to be more than $25 million. Donations from MathWorks and a federal award for an early learning center have been among the earliest gifts that MetroWest YMCA has received for the Team Hoyt Community YMCA.

According to a MetroWest Daily News report, the project is anticipated to create jobs and provide economic benefits to the area. In addition to a 9,500-square-foot early learning center, the new facility is slated to include a wellness and aquatics area and programming for teens because of its location to Ashland Middle School. Other planned programs will focus on areas such as cancer recovery, Parkinson's disease, children's services, and general wellness.

Peter Waisgerber, chief of development for the MetroWest YMCA, explained the importance of the site, which was donated by Bob Gayner in 2018. The location is strategically located along the Boston Marathon route.

Additionally, the Team Hoyt Community YMCA will include a statue of Dick and Rick Hoyt, in tribute to their legacy of advocating belonging for all individuals.