Middletown YMCA officially opens Sept. 18. Here's a sneak peek and what you should know
After a delay due to pandemic impacts, the $26 million Middletown YMCA officially opens in late September.
The Middletown YMCA originally was expected to begin construction in April 2021, with an end date of late 2022, but delays related to the pandemic pushed the timeline back a year. Construction began in April of 2022 and concluded earlier this summer.
Now standing tall a short drive from Middletown Main Street, next to Silverlake Middle School and across from the new Appoquinimink Library, the Middletown YMCA will open on Monday, Sept. 18.
“The YMCA of Delaware is excited to expand its footprint in the Middletown area, with hopes of serving as a community hub and second home to local children, families, and residents from all walks of life,” said Linda Risk, YMCA of Delaware chief operating officer. “The Y is known for bringing people together and providing a sense of belonging while we all strive to reach our full potential. We look forward to supporting family and economic stability, improving individual and community wellness, and making sure our youth in Middletown continue on a pathway to success.”
The 56,000-square-foot facility replaces the existing YMCA on Cass Street and will be open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
This facility anticipates serving 15,000 annually through membership, before and after school enrichment, community-based programs, youth sports and summer camp, and will bring 300 new jobs to the area, according to the YMCA of Delaware.
The YMCA received support from the town of Middletown and the state. Those who have been attached to the project since the beginning phases say the completed building is everything they hoped for.
“It couldn’t be any more gratifying to really see our organization’s hard work and efforts being realized and appreciated by the community we’re trying to serve, because that’s really why we’re here,” said Chris Ryan, senior vice president of buildings, properties and risk for the YMCA of Delaware. “The experience has been phenomenal.”
Ryan adds that the Town of Middletown had a vision of bringing together the community that mirrored what the YMCA of Delaware had in mind for the 10-acre site, and the facility is already seeing interest from residents.
“It’s good to see them see what they’ve asked for in the conceptual designs to really come into fruition,” said Ryan. “We’re really looking forward to the community taking advantage of it.”
What amenities are at the new Middletown YMCA?
While parking is plentiful, those who live nearby can save on gas by using one of the residential paths leading to local neighborhoods to walk to the YMCA.
The front of the building features two jungle gym options in the outdoor play area, with yard games such as cornhole, and a shaded picnic area with seating. Building design elements match that of neighboring infrastructure to keep the familiar feel of Middletown.
Upon walking into the facility, visitors enter a cozy lobby area with cushioned seating, TVs and an electric fireplace. Warm tones of the brown flooring are accented by shades of blue throughout the YMCA, and cascading moss detailing decorates the elevator shaft that leads to the upstairs.
The lobby provides access to the Kid’s Adventure Zone with an indoor play structure, an area for child watch and the 25-yard indoor swimming pool.
Both the Kids Adventure Zone, for children ages 5 to 11 years old, and the child watch area, for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old, offer free child care while parents work out.
The eight-lane pool, which stays between 84 and 86 degrees, is ADA-accessible and provides plenty of water activities based on what you’re feeling that day. Want to swim some laps? Two lanes are always available. Interested in paddleboard yoga? Sign up for a class.
The full-sized gym is lined for basketball, volleyball and pickleball, with six nets open for use and a mezzanine that is accessible from both the first and second floors for parents to keep an eye on kids without being too close to the court action.
The men’s, women’s and universal locker rooms come equipped with lockers, bathrooms and private showers. As an added bonus, there’s a sauna, too.
More Y offerings:
The science, engineering, technology and mathematics room, located just past the stairwell, will be open after school on weekdays and in the morning on Saturdays, with homework help offered Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
The Functional Training Center is an area of the YMCA that focuses on providing full-body workout equipment in an environment that fits these needs. Indoor and outdoor squat racks are provided, sleds and tires are available and a turf training space can be used both inside and outside.
Workout machines, studios and classes
The second floor of the facility, the fitness center, is where most of the magic — and sweating — happens.
The cardio section of the fitness center features 60 pieces of equipment, including stationary bikes, treadmills, ellipticals and more, and a stretching area for warming up or cooling down. If parents have children hanging out on the basketball or pickleball courts, these can be seen from this area.
The other half of the floor is dedicated to strength training. Squat racks, Olympic weights, dumbbells up to 150 pounds and a plate-loaded strength circuit are among the equipment you’ll find. Universal equipment for members with diverse abilities is on deck, too.
In the cycling studio, 30 bikes are stationed on elevated platforms. In here, you can enjoy “Cycle Cinema,” watching a movie while biking, or sign up for classes where the lights are turned off and specialty lighting (think flashing, fun colors!) helps get you energized.
Two fitness studios offer more than 70 workout classes per week, including youth fitness options, Zumba, high-intensity interval training and more.
The second floor also features restrooms, personal training and staff assistance.
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Outdoor amenities
The outdoor amenities include an outdoor pool and splash pad, which can be seen from the functional training center, two full-sized basketball courts and six pickleball courts. The basketball courts and four of the pickleball courts are open for community use.
A functional mobile wellness space is available for outdoor exercise classes, too.
Part of the building’s exterior is lined with sun-blocking wall panels that are equipped with LED lights that change colors and can be enabled to flash, which the YMCA plans to use to show support for occasions like Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and Autism Awareness Month in April.
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What programs and unique offerings are available?
With the YMCA’s promise to “never turn anyone away due to financial need,” the new facility is expected to provide over $500,000 annually in financial assistance for membership and programs.
Residents who sign up for membership before the end of the month will have a joiner fee waived as a courtesy, which could save individuals up to $100.
To aid the YMCA of Delaware’s mission to improve community health outcomes, bring people of all backgrounds together and empower youth, diverse programming is available for members. Some of these options include:
Youth sports clinics will begin registration on Sept. 25 for basketball and volleyball. When next summer rolls around, summer camp programs will run out of Silver Lake Elementary School and serve over 200 children per week.
For children of any age, private or group swim lessons are available as well as art and science STEM offerings. Fit Kids is a program for children ages 7 to 12 that provides team-building activities and guidance for a healthy lifestyle.
Teens can take advantage of Safe Sitters classes, where they can learn first aid and childcare safety skills to become a certified babysitter.
For older adults, the Young at Heart Social Club offers community members the chance to mingle through activities like painting and group lunches.
For more information or to become a YMCA member, visit www.ymcade.org/new-middletown-ymca/.
Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.
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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Middletown YMCA opens Sept. 18, including pools, child care and more
