Community Corner
Greater La Grange YMCA Closing This Summer
Residents have started a petition to save the local organization.
LA GRANGE PARK, IL – The Greater La Grange YMCA in La Grange Park is closing July 18.
The YMCA opened in La Grange in 1948 after local businessmen went door to door collecting money to help build it.
In 2007, the organization moved to a storefront on 31st Street in La Grange Park.
Find out what's happening in La Grangefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"My sister and I used to attend camp at the YMCA when it used to be in La Grange on Ogden Avenue," Brookfield resident Steven Lifka told Patch in an interview. "If this YMCA does shut down, this will be a loss to the community."
Employees got word of the closure earlier this week.
Find out what's happening in La Grangefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A local YMCA manager referred questions to the parent organization, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, where Patch left a message for comment Friday.
A Change.org petition was posted Thursday night calling for saving the YMCA.
"Its closure would not just mean the loss of fitness facilities but the heart of countless interactions, traditions, and memories," the petition said. "Our YMCA is essential in fostering a sense of belonging and community spirit — a haven where everyone is included and valued."
As of late Friday morning, 101 people had signed the petition.
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