Joliet Area YMCA will break ground on new Shorewood facility next week

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the new village of Shorewood YMCA from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 21.

The event will be held at the site of the future facility at 1801 W. Jefferson St. in Shorewood. The community is invited to attend, according to a news release announcing the event.

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA announced earlier this year its plans to open a new facility in Shorewood. President and CEO Katy Leclair said in March that the YMCA began exploring a partnership opportunity with the village of Shorewood as early as 2019.

In August, the YMCA announced that Trisha Dust of Plainfield would serve as executive director of the Shorewood YMCA. Dust will lead operations at the Galowich Family YMCA on Houbolt Road in Joliet during construction of the Shorewood facility, which eventually will serve as the Greater Joliet YMCA regional headquarters.

Located along the Route 52 corridor, the almost 60,000-square-foot YMCA, which is being built in partnership with the village of Shorewood, will feature a wellness center, a gymnasium, an eight-lane lap pool, group exercise studios, community rooms, and outdoor spaces for summer camps and youth sports programs, according to the release.

The new Shorewood YMCA is expected to open its doors to the community in spring 2026, according to the release. The new facility also will serve as home for the Y’s regional office, which provides support and leadership to all YMCA branches and program sites in Will and Grundy counties, the YMCA said.

Guests attending the groundbreaking ceremony are encouraged to park at Shorewood Village Hall, which is located on the north side of Jefferson Street at 1 Towne Center Blvd. Complimentary shuttles will be available to transport guests to and from the groundbreaking site.

To learn more about the village of Shorewood YMCA, call Dust at 815-744-3939 or visit www.jolietymca.org.