No one took more interest in the life of the working man than J. Dallas Dort. He believed that the character of a city's development depended entirely on the way in which the city and its industries took responsibility for the health and welfare of its workers.
Toward that goal, the Flint Vehicle Factories Mutual Benefit Association was formed. This new association provided insurance for employees of FIint's vehicle factories. Shortly thereafter, the Vehicle Workers Club, a very popular social branch of the organization was incorporated. In 1908, Associated Factories organized formally as the Manufacturers Association of Flint the same year General Motors was founded in Flint.
In 1915, Charles Stewart Mott, a GM vice president, appointed an industrial committee with Walter P. Chrysler as its chairman. The committee called itself the Industrial Fellowship League. Many recreational and educational activities were offered to the workers through the IFL. The IFL opened an evening school for factory workers known as Auto Trade School (C. S. Harding Mott, son of Charles Stewart Mott, was a member of its record-breaking Buick Service class in 1926). The school later became the Flint Institute of Technology, which developed into General Motors Institute.
In 1917, Potter Lake, a 400-acre resort with picnic areas, swimming beach, cottages, pavilion and lodge, was purchased to provide recreational activities for IFL members and their families.
The Industrial Mutual Association of Flint was officially established on September 22, 1922 when the Flint Vehicle Factories Mutual Benefit Association and the Industrial Fellowship League merged. To support its various activities, the IMA managed cafeterias and vending operations in Flint's vibrant auto factories. The IMA began to flourish and leased five floors of the Industrial Savings Bank Building at the corner of Second Avenue and North Saginaw Street for its headquarters.
In 1926, the IMA made its plans known to merge Flint Tech into General Motors Institute of Technology.
In 1927, the Randall Lumber and Coal Company property in downtown Flint was purchased for construction of an auditorium. Completed in 1929, the IMA Auditorium provided seating for more than 6,000 people and offered diversified activities including lectures, dances, stage shows, exhibitions, sports events and concerts, The Auditorium held many great memories for people throughout the decades.
Other IMA facilities included Athletic Park, a 3,000 seat athletic field adjacent to the Auditorium. In 1958, the park was used to build an annex to the Auditorium.
In 1963 the IMA purchased Brookwood Golf Course, site of the 1965 Michigan Open Golf' Tournament.
In 1969 the IMA opened the Sports Arena on Lapeer Road. It became the home of' the Flint Generals of the International Hockey League and attracted sellout crowds of more than 4,000 enthusiastic fans.
Safetyville U.S.A., a miniature town with streets, sidewalks and buildings, taught traffic safety to elementary school children. It was turned over to the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission in 1978.
In 1979, the Sports Arena was donated to the City of Flint, and continues to host a myriad of activities.
Today, the IMA is adding new chapters to its rich history as a diversified employee benefit association. As a self-supporting not-for-profit corporation, the IMA operates several businesses including IMA Brookwood Golf Club, IMA Brookwood Banquet Center, IMAge Catering, IMA Recreation and IMA's Parks and External Grounds Operations.
The new IMA is all about kids. The IMA Foundation was created in 1998 to fund recreation programs for kids, mainly through a variety of fund-raising events aimed at community involvement and participation.
The IMA Foundation's mission is to ensure enduring support for recreation, social and educational programs to high-risk children in Genesee County. This includes providing equipment, instruction and facilities to allow all children a place to play without regard to financial resources or natural ability.
In 2002, the Foundation's name was changed to IMA Children's Recreation Fund to better reflect its focus on children and their needs.
The IMA is indeed proud of its heritage and the support that generates dynamic programs for its members and our community. You can become a part of this continuing story in several ways. As a participant. As a volunteer. As a contributor. Or a combination of all three.
The IMA continues to be a story of people caring about people. We welcome you to help write the next chapter.
