$20M YMCA Project, Indoor Pool, Coming To Shorewood?

SHOREWOOD, IL — Shorewood's elected officials are having serious discussions with the YMCA in hopes of building a $20 million YMCA within the village. If the project's timeline does not change, construction could start this fall and the new YMCA could open during the first quarter of 2026, Shorewood Village President Clarence "CC" DeBold told Patch's editor.

During Tuesday's interview, DeBold said the proposed YMCA facility could be called "the village of Shorewood YMCA" and would be modeled after the Morris YMCA now under construction in the seat for Grundy County. The Shorewood Village Board might be ready to vote on the project at a meeting in March, however, the development site has not been finalized.

DeBold did say the proposed Shorewood YMCA would likely be built along the village's western boundaries, close to U.S. 52. The YMCA would feature a wellness center, gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, walking track, classrooms, offices and community space, he remarked.

"Nothing is set in stone,"DeBold stressed Tuesday night. "Nothing has been decided on yet."

DeBold said that "access to utilities" will be one of the key factors to consider as Shorewood and the YMCA study various properties for development along the vacant land near Route 52.

The construction phase is anticipated to last about 15 months, DeBold estimated.

Shorewood's village president said the YMCA would fill a great need in Shorewood as the growing village of 18,000 residents does not have any community center, indoor swimming pool or park district recreation building.

"We don't have a recreational center entity in Shorewood," he emphasized.

In addition to the new Morris Hospital YMCA under construction in Grundy County, there is the Galowich Family YMCA in Joliet along Houbolt Road and the C.W. Avery Family YMCA in Plainfield.