Morris Hospital YMCA’s new location to open December 16

The new Morris Hospital YMCA at 2200 W. Dupont Avenue will officially open its doors Monday, Dec. 16 after 19 months of construction and many years of planning.

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA announced Tuesday that the 60,000-square-foot facility will open in December, featuring an eight-lane lap pool, a health and wellness center, a gymnasium, indoor walking track, group exercise studios, a cycling room, a healthy eating kitchen, youth play spaces and meeting rooms. The property is surrounded planned residential developments, Morris Grade School and West Side Park to the east.

“We are very excited to welcome the community to the new Morris Hospital YMCA,” said Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and Chief Executive Officer Katy Leclair. “We look forward to working with our partners at Morris Hospital to create a welcoming community center where residents of all ages can participate in high-quality and impactful programs. December 16 will be a monumental day as we officially open our doors on Dupont Avenue and see the dreams of our generous donors and community partners, loyal YMCA members, and hardworking volunteers and employees realized.”

Morris Hospital also issued a news release, this one coming on Friday. It outlines their plans for the partnership. Morris Hospital will provide outpatient services at the new YMCA, including physical, occupational and speech/language therapy, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilition. These are relocating from Morris Hospital’s Diagnostic and Rehabilitative Center on Gore Road.

Morris Hospital will have 8,800 square feet of space, and that will include exam rooms for cardiology and orthopedics/sports medicine service. It will also have X-ray services on site. Morris Hospital will have its own private reception area.

“Like Morris Hospital’s current set up at the Diagnostic & Rehabilitative Center, the rehab gym will be the focal point, this time overlooking a scenic prarieland view,” reads the news release. “Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation will also utilize a small group exercise room and two private consult rooms located off the Morris Hospital rehab gym.”

There will also be four semi-private physical therapy treatment rooms off its rehab gym, an occupational therapy treatment area, two private rehab treatment rooms and a speech/language therapy in a quieter location down the hall. A locker room area will also be available.

In addition, Morris Hospital will have three exam rooms and a procedure room for scheduled cardiology and orthopedic surgery and sports medicine office visits. Patients will be able to schedule appointments like they do now. The wellness manager will also have an office just off the YMCA’s main foyer.

Sarah Wrightson, Morris Hospital’s Rehabilitation Services Director, said the hospital’s beautiful new space at the YMCA will bring services closer to the community with a focus on transitioning patients to the YMCA to maintain ongoing healthy lifestyle habits.

“When patients complete rehabilitation or therapy, it’s very important that they continue exercising to maintain the quality of life that we have helped them attain through our services,” Wrightson said. “That’s the piece the YMCA offers.”

Tom Dohm, the President and CEO of Morris Hospital, said the partnership between Morris Hospital and the YMCA has been a perfect match ever since discussions began 10 years ago.

“Our partnership with the Morris Community YMCA has been growing and evolving over the past 10 years in preparation for this moment,” Dohm said. “We couldn’t be more excited to be bringing Morris Hospital services under the same roof as the YMCA. We know that the programs and services that will be available through the new Morris Hospital YMCA are going to have a long-lasting impact on the health of our community for generations to come.”

Morris Hospital will continue to provide immediate care, occupational medicine and outpatient laboratory services at the Diagnostic and Rehabilitative Centero n Gore Road, physical and occupational therapy will continue at Morris Hospital Orthopedics and Sports Medicine on U.S. Route 6.

YMCA officials like Leclair, Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin and Executive Director Jamie Heitman led a group of officials including U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap through the construction site in August, showing off spaces designed to promote STEM programs and keep children engaged in their education. The new building will also have walking trails connected to West Side Park, creating a larger path that walkers and joggers can follow.

LaHood helped the YMCA receive $3.5 million from the federal government to help the project, and Durkin said more than 98% of the funding for the project came from 75 people. The new YMCA will open fully funded and debt-free.

The YMCA is also holding an early bird membership sale, which will give new members early access to the facility starting Sunday, Dec. 1.

The YMCA will host a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. For more information visit https://www.jolietymca.org/ or call (815) 513-8080.