Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Kosciusko Community YMCA CEO Dr. Jim Swanson said the newly opened Downtown Warsaw YMCA is serving “an unreached community” in terms of YMCA members.
“It’s an unreached community for us we think, and so to bring services to downtown Warsaw and to this community, we think is a huge benefit,” he said on Monday, June 10.
That was during the Downtown Warsaw YMCA’s grand opening. People could check out the facility at 575 W. Fort Wayne St. and sign up as members and to win prizes.
The Downtown Warsaw YMCA is the Kosciusko Community YMCA’s third location after the Parkview Warsaw YMCA and the North Webster YMCA. It’s located in the former Madison Elementary School, next to the Gateway Grove housing development.
The upstairs portion includes a 24/7 fitness room with weights and equipment. There’s also the original downstairs gym, which has been renovated to allow space for basketball, volleyball and pickleball. Next to it is a small fitness studio for classes.
The building includes nods from its former life as a school such as lockers which belonged to students. The wood flooring, padding and equipment in the gym are original.
Swanson said plans are to partner with Warsaw Community Schools to add pictures or artwork tied to the former school in the building.
The bottom portion will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.
To use the Downtown Warsaw YMCA, people must be members of the Kosciusko Community YMCA and annually pay a $25 processing fee. They will use their regular membership cards, which will be upgraded to allow them to scan into the upstairs portion of the YMCA after regular hours are over.
As of mid-afternoon Monday, more than 100 people had signed up to be members of the new YMCA during the grand opening.
“We think it’s a huge benefit for health and wellness,” said Swanson. “We think it’s a huge benefit for the businesses downtown, and we think it’s a great opportunity for kids on weekends and whatever leagues might be here.”
He said Robinson Construction and G&G Hauling & Excavating “were terrific to work with” on the project.
“We look forward to being able to serve not only the houses that are here, but the new developments that are going up, so we want to work closely with them,” added Swanson. “Our staff has been terrific. They’ve rallied around the new idea and a new concept in trying to be innovative in what we do and the services we provide.”
“We’re excited to be here. We’re excited to see how it goes. We’ve had a great start,” said Swanson.
A ribbon-cutting for the facility will be held in the future, he said.
