Greater Green Bay YMCA looks to build facilities and programs

GREEN BAY, WI – (WGBW & WISS) – The Greater Green Bay YMCA has been serving the area for over 100 years. Now they are looking to build. They want to build a new Y and build new programs for families and community members.

Emily Smith, the Executive Director of Financial Development for the Greater Green Bay YMCA said the Broadview location of the YMCA is aging, and it needs to be replaced.

“The Broadview location is aging. It was aging when I was a kid 30 years ago,” said Smith. “So we do need to replace that Y.”

They have secured a location in the Allouez area. What they need now is funding for the new building. Smith said securing that funding for a new building is a priority for the organization.

“Allouez deserves a new Y. We need one. That community is continuing to grow. And we need to serve more kids and families in the community. We are working very hard to find out how we can continue to make that happen”

The YMCA is undergoing its annual fundraising campaign now through June. 

“We never turn anyone away for failure to pay,” said Smith. “We want to make sure that it’s accessible to everyone. So, a lot of the kids and families that come to the Y may not be able to pay for a membership. We make sure they can come anyway.”  

To contribute to the annual campaign or donate to the Y, Smith says to go to the website and click on the “give” tab. 

The Greater Green Bay YMCA serves members through five different locations.

• Broadview YMCA at 308 Broadview Drive
• East Side YMCA on South Huron Road,
• Ferguson Family YMCA in Downtown Green Bay on North Jefferson Street
• West Side YMCA on Cardinal Lane
• The Ridge YMCA at Capital Credit Union in De Pere 

Smith says that the West Side YMCA has the largest number of scans for people coming into the facility in the entire state of Wisconsin. The Ridge in De Pere is an adult-only Y. 

New programs coming to the Y

Over the years, the YMCA has had to adapt and change to keep the membership going. One of the ways they have done so is through an increase in inclusion programs, such as Full Circle which is a program for kids with autism that incorporates play. Smith says they are expanding the program to provide services during the summer months as well.

“Because there is really a gap in the community for parents and kids during the summer season when school’s not in session,” said Smith.

Smith says while swim lessons for kids and adults a a big part of the organization, the YMCA is more than a gym and a pool. There are pickleball courts, a ninja class for the kids, and programs for youth and teens.

“Part of what we do is try to make sure that we provide programming that really serves the whole community,” said Smith. “In our Y Achievers program, the kids go out and they learn about different businesses and youth in government programs. So there is a lot beyond just the swim and gym.”