YMCA looking at village of Shorewood as potential site

Shorewood will be asking “Y?”

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA will partner with the village to determine if there is a market and interest in building a facility in Shorewood — though “How long?” would be another great question.

“I view this as a marathon and we’re at the starting line right now,” Trustee C.C. DeBold said shortly before the village board agreed to split the cost of the initial survey.

“We’re talking not a Shorewood facility only, we talking about a regional facility,” said Trustee Anthony Luciano. The YMCA has two branches in Joliet, one in Morris and one in Plainfield.

Foursquare Research will be paid $24,000 to develop a market study and survey 800 area residents, including 200 current YMCA members, selected by zip code. Foursquare, which has previously worked with the YMCA, will determine questions with input from three YMCA representatives and three village of Shorewood officials.

Mayor Rick Chapman will appoint Shorewood’s representatives, but trustees agreed DeBold or fellow Parks and Recreation Trustee Cookie Kirkland should be one of the selections.

“It sounds like you’ve got your act together...this will be a good thing for the community and hopefully, good for the Y too,” Trustee Dan Anderson told Greater Joliet Area YMCA President Jim Watts.

The survey is expected to indicate if it’s feasible to sustain operating a YMCA in Shorewood and the impact it would have on membership at the other Y’s in the area.

A facility would likely be constructed in phases and could include a fitness center, gymnasium and aquatic facilities.

“(The survey) will tell us what’s wanted...for adults, youth programming, senior fitness, etc.,” Watts said.