Dynamic duo: New YMCA/library opens to rave reviews

Children were getting a good look at the new Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch earlier this month. They were looking at books with titles like “Too Pig To Fail,” “Valenslime” and “A Unicorn Named Sparkle.” Some children also looked at a movie on DVD called “Casablanca” and asked their parents if this was something […]

Children were getting a good look at the new Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch earlier this month. They were looking at books with titles like “Too Pig To Fail,” “Valenslime” and “A Unicorn Named Sparkle.” Some children also looked at a movie on DVD called “Casablanca” and asked their parents if this was something new. Frank Lambert also was at the library on Feb. 7. He didn’t seem to have interest in the “Valenslime” book, but he had great praise for the new facility. “I love it. You should have seen this place two months ago when work was going on. … This has been a dream of ours to get this new facility done,” said Mr. Lambert, a member of the Rock Island Public Library Foundation. Mr. Lambert was among several hundred people who helped welcome a remodeled and repurposed two-part facility to Rock Island – the Two Rivers YMCA-Rock Island Branch and the Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch. The two organizations now share the building at 2715 30th St. that is the former home of the Tri-Center Jewish Center.  The crowd also participated in a “ribbon-tying” ceremony to symbolize the joining of the two organizations. It was followed by tours of the new, nearly $10 million project. The project is the culmination of nearly 10 years of planning for the Rock Island Public Library. That began with long-range facility planning in 2014, and actively partnering with the YMCA since 2018. “This library branch ensures that every Rock Islander is within three miles of a public library. Our partnership has allowed us to offer everything people wanted in a branch – a large community room, internet connectivity, conference room, study rooms, teen area and outdoor space – for a fraction of the cost of doing the project alone,” said Angela Campbell, Rock Island Public Library director. “The new facility is truly a place where people can improve in spirit, mind and body,” said Mike Wennekamp, CEO of Two Rivers YMCA. He added that the new Y facility will be a unique place specifically designed to meet the needs of the community. The new Rock Island YMCA will provide programs the community might already be familiar with, such as serving young people, families and seniors. For instance, young people will have a safe place after schools where the Y promotes character development through mentoring. “There is an old saying at the Y – ‘If you’ve seen one Y, you’ve seen one Y.’ … Every community is unique,” Mr. Wennekamp said. Other government and community leaders also had words of praise for the new two-part location. “It’s an outstanding facility. … What a collaboration. Isn’t it great?” Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms said. Jenni Swanson, Rock Island Fourth Ward alderwoman and a library board member, called the facility a “dream come true” and thanked the people and organizations that helped make that dream a reality. Library and YMCA officials said the project is a unique collaboration between the YMCA and library – and only the third of its kind throughout the country. 

The new library branch is named in honor of the late library board member Lorene Evans Watts, and her son, current library board president Eudell Watts III. Mr. Watts also serves on the Rock Island Public Library Foundation and has raised more than $50,000 to support children services through a fund in honor of his late mother, who was a former teacher. “If she was present, she would probably be in a state of shock,” Mr. Watts said with a laugh during the Feb. 7 events. Some of the features of the two-part facility include:

• The Watts-Midtown library branch has 9,667 square feet with computers, two study rooms, conference room, a 140-seat auditorium/community room and outdoor reading patio. Many of those features are named after project supporters, such as the Mark & Debbie Schwiebert Study/Reading rooms; and the Norm & Janet Moline Small Group Conference Room.
• The YMCA has 29,676 square feet, and the two organizations will share 3,509 square-feet, including the main lobby and a commons area. The Y side boasts equipment that includes treadmills, weights, a two-lane track, 36 new cardio equipment machines, a six-basket gym, youth development room, locker rooms with dry sauna, an adventure center for children. That center is named the Heidi Huiskamp Collins Kids’ Adventure Center.
• To accommodate late-night Y guests, the library will install an after-hour book locker in the shared lobby of the building. Installation of the outside book return and exterior patio will take place this spring.
• The new library will allow conference room and meeting room bookings after the library’s grand opening celebration on Saturday, March 11.

The Rock Island YMCA members can also use the Two Rivers Y on 53rd Street in Moline, the Bass Street YMCA in downtown Moline and the Kewanee YMCA. For more information on the facilities, visit tworiversymca.org and rockislandlibrary.org.