1st wall about to go up at new Ottawa YMCA

Ottawa YMCA Executive Director Joe Capece said Friday every step the new $25 million riverfront facility takes toward coming to fruition, the excitement in the community heightens.

Friday, the Ottawa YMCA hosted local press and dignitaries in hopes the first pre-cast wall would be erected for the facility scheduled to open in early 2024. The windy conditions, however, had other plans. Constructions crews had to postpone putting up the wall, but it’s going up any day, they said.

Once the wall is up, Mayor Dan Aussem, who was in attendance Friday morning, said the crew has told him they can erect 10 to 12 pieces per day.

“The work is going to start going more quickly and people are going to have a chance to drive by now and see it, and see the progress,” Aussem said.

The facility will be about 65,000 square foot, including a multi-use gymnasium, an integrated health and wellness center for exercise and prevention, a natatorium with a competition pool and warm water therapy pool, group exercise studios, kids’ adventure center, child watch areas, family locker rooms and multi-generational spaces for seniors and teens. It also will have a community living room concept for socialization and gathering spaces, as well as a community kitchen for healthy eating and designated clinical space for the YMCA’s partner OSF.

The facility also is built at elevation, away from the flood plain.

“We have been blessed with mild weather this winter, which is a huge contributing factor to the construction proceeding so quickly,” Capece said. “There have been hundreds of people – community leaders, organizations, donors, Y members – working toward realizing this vision for the new Y. ... I can’t wait to see it build out over the summer.”

Capece said the project remains on-budget and on schedule. The campaign still is taking donations. To make a donation toward the Capital Campaign, go to https://www.ottawaymca.org/support-the-y/ymca-capital-campaign or contact Capece at 815-433-2395.