The new YMCA in west Louisville will be much more than a fitness center

Inside the new YMCA in west Louisville, a two-story slide and the foundation of an indoor track are visual confirmations of a promise realized. 

For 10 years the YMCA of Greater Louisville has told West End residents that it would build a state-of-the-art facility just for them.

And by October, the $28 million project should finally come to life at the corner of Broadway and 18th Street, on the border of the Russell and California neighborhoods.

The facility will be much more than the fitness center one might typically picture when thinking of the Y. 

Instead, the new YMCA will serve as a hub for community wellness in an area that's been deeply affected by health inequalities, such as higher rates of food insecurity and long-term disabilities.

On Monday, the Courier Journal received a look inside the unfinished facility, where YMCA of Greater Louisville CEO Steve Tarver broke down everything the project will entail.

With help from outside partners, the YMCA will become a one-stop complex for services such as behavioral and mental health counseling; financial literacy; pediatric and family medical care; and nutritional support.

"We’re talking about health in a very broad measure," Tarver said. "... That will be key to the whole thing, in terms of how the community is lifted up. We want to go beyond just not being sick to being a thriving citizen."

Most of the services will operate on a sliding pay scale, but some — like mental health counseling from the Family & Children's Place — will be free to the public.

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Tarver said the YMCA is in-tune with the economic instability in the surrounding neighborhoods, and it will work to make its programs accessible to anyone who wants to use them.

The YMCA will annually raise money to support the facility and offer financial assistance to users, Tarver said. It will also allow some residents to volunteer their time in place of paying for a membership.

The facility will be accessible to residents traveling by foot, bus or automobile.

A new bus rapid transit stop will be built outside the structure's Broadway entrance. And the intersections at 17th and 18th streets have been realigned to improve pedestrian access, Tarver said.

The YMCA's planning team, however, is still considering ways to enhance access for seniors and people with disabilities who live in the area, Tarver said.

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Pam Darnall, CEO of Family & Children's Place, said her nonprofit already has a presence in west Louisville, but it hopes to deepen its relationships there with a new office in the YMCA.

Family & Children's Place provides free therapy for children and families who have experienced trauma, such as child abuse and neighborhood violence.

Darnall said trauma can induce long-term stress in children that can affect how they develop socially and emotionally and that can lead to physical health issues later in life. 

The nonprofit's leader said she is grateful to be involved in the YMCA project, where counselors will continue working to reduce those health issues.

"It's not just what they need, it's what this community deserves," Darnall said. "When we raise this community and vulnerable communities up, we raise everybody up."

Bailey Loosemore: 502-582-4646; bloosemore@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @bloosemore. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: https://www.courier-journal.com/baileyl.

Republic Bank Foundation YMCA

What: A 77,000-square-foot comprehensive health facility that's currently under construction in west Louisville.

Where: 1720 W. Broadway

When: Opening October 2019

Services:

• Healthy living center with cardio and strength equipment
• Group exercise studios/classes
• Indoor pool for lap swimming, water fitness and recreational swimming
• Kids' Club with child care for members
• Indoor walking/running track
• Outdoor play space and sports fields
• Community meeting space
• Best Buy teen tech center
• Behavioral and mental health counseling
• Financial literacy courses
• Pediatric and family medicine clinic
• Occupational and physical therapy

Partners:

• Republic Bank
• Norton Healthcare
• ProRehab
• Family & Children's Place
• Jefferson County Public Schools
• Metro Government
• Metro Health Department

More info: Visit ymcalouisville.org/republic-bank/index.html. View current job openings at ymcalouisville.org/employment.html.