The Kosciusko Community YMCA’s newest location, the Downtown Warsaw YMCA, tentatively should be done “at the beginning of May,” said Kosciusko Community YMCA Director of Marketing and Fund Development Ben Keffer on Friday, April 5. It is in the former Madison Elementary School near the Gateway Grove housing development on North Union Street in Warsaw. Shown is the location’s 24/7 area, where people will be able to use 38 pieces of large equipment plus weights.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Kosciusko Community YMCA’s newest location tentatively will open “at the beginning of May,” says Ben Keffer.

Keffer, who serves as Kosciusko Community YMCA’s director of marketing and fund development, gave that information Friday, April 5, during an update on the location, known as the Downtown Warsaw YMCA.

It’s located next to the Gateway Grove housing development off North Union Street in the city, in the former Madison Elementary School.

Unlike the YMCA’s other two county locations, the Downtown Warsaw YMCA will offer a 24/7 fitness area with 38 large pieces of equipment plus weights. Members may enter that upstairs section at any time by using a purchased key fob.

Also upstairs will be a small open locker area, two individual changing rooms and a small lobby. Downstairs, people may use the gym, which is being renovated to allow for space for volleyball, basketball and three pickleball courts.

“We’ve also looked at a rollout turf system, which is pretty much a gymnasium-sized rug of turf that rolls out, and so we will be able to do some indoor sports leagues (like soccer),” said Keffer.

Off the gym is a small fitness studio for classes, which will have mirrors and “a wood floor with padding underneath, so it gives a little bit when you are moving,” he said. There will also be a vending machine area and small office area downstairs.

Keffer said the YMCA “is thinking initially” to have the bottom section open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Those who already have current memberships through the Kosciusko Community YMCA are welcome to use the new location for free, save for purchasing a key fob, said Keffer.

Outside the gym, the expanded parking lot will have space for 70 vehicles, he said.

Separate from the YMCA project, Warsaw is putting in a new park behind the Downtown Warsaw YMCA building, said Keffer, with Cary Groninger to donate playground equipment for the park.

He said he was grateful to Groninger “for getting us this building and seeing us through this process.”

Keffer also praised Robinson Construction for their work on the building and Winona IT for installing security and tech. Lake City Bank and K21 Health Foundation gave money for the project, with some of Kosciusko County’s American Rescue Plan Act funds paying for security measures.

He said Kosciusko Community YMCA is spending more than $1 million itself on the project.

Keffer said the YMCA “is open” to the Downtown Warsaw YMCA being named something else if an entity chooses a different name after donating a sum of money.

He noted the importance of having the new location to serve people who live south of US 30 as well as second- or third-shift workers via the 24/7 choice.

“We think having that 24/7 option is going to be really good for those people and having something closer for people south is going to be really good too,” said Keffer.

He said there should be a ribbon-cutting and open house “close” to the time the location opens.