By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington-Normal YMCA, Easterseals Central Illinois and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for its new facility in Bloomington.

The “Growing Together Campaign” raised over $19 million to begin construction on the new YMCA, which will be located at the corner of Washington Street and St. Joseph Drive, just south of the hospital.

“This will be a huge expansion compared to the existing 40,000 square foot building,” said campaign co-chair Julie Dobski. “But this is more than just an expanded facility. The YMCA isn’t just a building, it’s a diverse community working together to meet so many challenges.”

The collaboration between the Y, Easterseals, and OSF will provide space for all three organizations in the new 76,000 square foot facility.

“From the beginning, we envisioned a welcoming, uplifting, and inspiring place that fosters youth development, provides for health and well being, and unites us all in social responsibility,” said B.J. Wilken, executive director of the Twin-Cities YMCA. “I think we are going to be able to accomplish that today by breaking this ground.”

Wilken said construction will start Sept. 28 and they hope to open the new facility in March of 2022.

The YMCA and city officials are working on a joint partnership to possibly keep the old building at 602 South Main Street as a center for different programing. Wilken said those discussions are still taking place.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]