‘Excited to get started’ – $18M YMCA to be built in LeClaire

LECLAIRE, Iowa – A new $18 million YMCA building will soon be built in this community. If all goes according to plan, a new 45,000-square-foot LeClaire YMCA will feature a massive swimming pool, track, fitness center, and be open in the fall of 2026. But perhaps the best amenity of the new YMCA will be […]

LECLAIRE, Iowa – A new $18 million YMCA building will soon be built in this community. If all goes according to plan, a new 45,000-square-foot LeClaire YMCA will feature a massive swimming pool, track, fitness center, and be open in the fall of 2026. But perhaps the best amenity of the new YMCA will be its view of the Mississippi River from atop of a hill on the south edge of town, according to LeClaire Mayor Dennis Gerard.

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“The scenic view will be stunning. It’s probably the best view in the city,” said Mr. Gerard on Tuesday morning, Feb. 25, during a brief news conference to announce some of the details of the new YMCA building construction. The event was also held to announce a partnership between the YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley and the City of LeClaire to build the new structure. Under that partnership, the city and the YMCA will split the costs to build the new YMCA, which will go on land just off Eagle Ridge Road. The new facility will consist of a new building, plus it will use an existing Grace Marine building at 905 Eagle Ridge Road that will be converted to a new gym. “This will be more than just a fitness center,” said Brad Martell, CEO of the YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley, who joined Mr. Gerard at the news conference to announce the new YMCA. That conference was held at LeClaire City Hall, outside the council chambers. The event also showcased three posterboards featuring architectural renderings from Legat Architects showing some of the planned exterior and interior scenes of the new YMCA building. Some of the planned features of the building will include:

• A full aquatics area with a lap lane pool and an area for group water exercises.
• Full court basketball gym.
• Weight room fully stocked with new equipment
• Walking/running track spanning the entire second floor of the building.
• Group exercise area.
• A multi-purpose room.
• Three locker rooms.
• Cardio area with a view of the Mississippi River.
• An area for EGYM activities.
• The facility will be built with growth in mind. YMCA officials said they want a facility that can change with the times and be in a position to add new amenities if needed in the future.
• During Tuesday’s news conference, Mr. Martell said the new LeClaire YMCA will look much like the North Scott YMCA in Eldridge. That $12.5 million facility, 1034 S. 3rd Ave., Eldridge, opened in December 2022.

Mr. Martell added construction of the new LeClaire facility will start this year. Bids will go out in June, the groundbreaking is scheduled for August and it will be complete and open to the public in the fall of 2026. “I don’t want to give a month (for the opening).... I’m just going to say it’s fallish,” he added. Once open, the LeClaire YMCA will be open to the nearly 50,000 current members of YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley. In 2024, the organization provided $1.8 million in financial assistance, and 22% of its members are on scholarship, according to information from the YMCA. The LeClaire mayor said the project has been in the works for years. Some of that work has included asking LeClaire residents what they want. “The City of LeClaire has done a number of surveys over the last few years asking residents what their priorities are for recreational amenities. The top answer is consistently a need for a new recreation facility, including a pool. … We’re excited to get started with this project, bringing quality fitness and recreation to the residents of our city and beyond,” said Mr. Gerard.