The Morrison YMCA in Charlotte's Ballantyne neighborhood has been more than a gym for over two decades. It's one of the only places in this master-planned suburb where neighbors actually get to know each other, through child care, swim lessons, senior fitness classes, and youth sports. Now the YMCA of Greater Charlotte's leadership has agreed to sell the entire 87,000-square-foot building and its 23 acres to Moments of Hope, a fast-growing church led by pastor David Chadwick, for $42.5 million.

Critics say the deal came together quietly over the past year, with negotiations led in part by Graeme Keith Jr., a Moments of Hope board member, before members ever got a say. If it closes, the Morrison Y's current tenant, Forest Hill Church, would have to leave after 15 years there, and hundreds of employees, including 17 full-time staff and 273 part-timers, could see their jobs disrupted.

YMCA of Greater Charlotte CEO Sue Glass says the sale would help cover budget shortfalls and fund upgrades at other centers. That may be true, but it shouldn't require giving up the one shared space this community built its daily life around.

Sue Glass and board chair Jeff Brown still have the power to pause this sale and give members, staff, and Forest Hill's congregation a real voice before anything is finalized. Sign the petition demanding they halt the sale of the Morrison YMCA until this community has actually been heard.